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THE BIG RULE: Don't fuss too much. This is not a test of your ability to post things into a wiki. If you can't get it to work in about 10 minutes, give up and email your ARL to justin.
Course: World History II Honors Grade: 10th Length: three weeks Course Essential Questions:
Who are the decision-makers in society?
What tools of power have individuals wielded and how did they acquire them?
How can empowered individuals from the past empower youth today?
Unit Essential Question:
How is technology a tool of power?
How and why did individuals protest against government policy during the Industrial Revolution and the Age of Imperialism?
Where does responsibility lie for the policies enacted during the Industrial Revolution and the Age of Imperialism?
How do individuals in African and Asian countries reconcile the legacy of the colonizers with their own cultural and historical heritage?
1. Life and Debt a documentary by Stephanie Black · The film highlights Jamaica and the economic conditions plaguing the country as a result of European and American influences · Run time for the film is 86 minutes · The role of the IMF and World Bank are an integral part of the film. The short-term high interest loans granted to Jamaica and the free market, both pushed by external agendas, ultimately hurt the Jamaican economy and reduced the impact of their local industries. · The perspective of the locals are conveyed as well as the perspective of the European middle/upper class · Some of the segments of the film cover Kingston Free Zones, which were factories that were not bound by Jamaican labor laws because they operated as separate entities under regulations set out by American Corporations. Also the potato market in Jamaica is covered where the local industry is damaged because of free markets causing cheap imports to be purchased over locally grown crops · This appeals to visual learners and the imagery effectively will connect most students to the material. The film is particularly intriguing for students who have traveled to Jamaica. The concepts around the IMF and World Bank are complicated so the teacher should have a solid understanding of how those bodies function before showing the film. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to have an understanding of capitalism and how the free market functions.
o Students need to understand how imperialistic policies created a wider gap between the rich and poor and how that results in political and social instability. Jamaica is a good case study for this and the social instability in the country is also shown
o Understanding the motivation behind particular policy development and adoption can be grappled with through this film
o The film connects imperialism to current day society, making learning relevant to present day issues, specifically the idea of America as an imperialist nation
2. The Age of Revolution 1789-1848 by Eric Hobsawm. · 356 page non-fiction book is organized by various topics. · Hobsawn’s account of Europe during 1789-1848 is useful for a background knowledge on the Industrial Revolution and the creation of a greater historical context for the time period · Several maps are included that show Europe in 1789, 1810, 1840 and a map on the spread of French law throughout Europe, which would be helpful in the classroom to provide regional context · The book is useful for teachers more so than students as it is rather dense and lengthy. It may be good for students who want more information about the topic and are already well versed in the French Revolution. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be learning about the causes and effects of the French Revolution and its ties to the Enlightenment. This resource will prepare teachers to understand this connection between French and British history.
3. Mount Holyoke College History Department, The Industrial Revolution and the Railway System (1999) Retrieved December 5, 2008 from Professor Robert Schwartz’s website: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/ind_rev/index.html · Website dedicated to the Industrial Revolution in England · Images from the Industrial Revolution are posted, including protests, factories, and urban sprawl · A variety of maps are posted including one of the railway lines in England, some depicting population growth and the location of mineral resources · Primary source texts are included that show differing perspectives on the Industrial Revolution. Six different English citizens including Charles Dickens’ negative view of the changes, and Sir Richard Phillips resounding praise of the transportation upgrades are included. · The materials on the website investigate how the Industrial Revolution impacted society in general and how it impacted the individual citizen. · The materials on the website appeal to a wide-range of learners since material is presented in a variety of modalities and the text is on the shorter side. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will learn about the varying perspectives on the Industrial Revolution. The primary accounts listed under opposing views provide for some of those perspectives.
o Students will understand the role of technology during the Industrial Revolution and the maps on the railroad will emphasize the impact that transportation related technology had on society.
4. The Human Record: Sources of Global History Volume II Since 1500 by Andrea Overfield · A book of primary sources covering global history from the 1500 to the present · 493 pages in length · Topics range from the decline of the Ming dynasty in China to Apartheid in South Africa · The book is divided into parts and chapters, which are organized by region and era · Includes primary sources such as speeches, World Bank statistics, drawings, letters, memos, reports, and paintings · The book begins with a prologue about source analysis and why it’s important to understanding history · Chapters begin with a summary creating historical context for the texts and images presented · Sources are preceded with “questions for analysis,” which provide the reader with different avenues to explore the text or image. · There are many texts that require more in-depth background knowledge and some texts that are more accessible. The text caters to a wide-range of learners, however, depending on the skill level of the class some texts could be modified or read as a whole class. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o In exploring the working conditions of the Industrial Revolution there is testimony given before Parliament in England that reveals the oppressive climate that children lived in daily (pg. 270- 274).
o Students will learn about the impact of capitalism on England and learn about other economic philosophies including socialism, and communism. The Communist Manifesto can shed light on communism and how it differs from capitalism.
o Gandhi’s vision for India is included in his writings on “Indian Home Rule.”
5. A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa by Howard W. French · Howard French is a journalist best known for his work done in the New York Times · 258 pages of text divided into chapters chronicling his firsthand account on the African continent · French’s journey takes the reader through the Congo, Liberia, Nigeria and Mali · French provides historical context alongside his personal narrative · French also attempts to dispel historical inaccuracies about explorers such as Henry Morton Stanley, who has been praised for his expeditions, but engaged in heinous acts against Congolese · The chapter on the Congo will be given as homework to highlight the colonial legacy that has continued to impact African society, political life and the economy · The text also provides snap shots of the rich indigenous cultures that exist in the four nation-states that French visits · The text is accessible to learners because of the narrative style, however background information about the history of the countries featured in the book is needed. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will engage in research projects that delve into colonial legacy, this text will provide a foundation for understanding the long-term impacts of colonization.
6. Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga · A coming of age novel based in Rhodesia (currently Zimbabwe) in the 1960’s · 256 pages in length · The protagonist, Tambu, is a young girl who’s Uncle offers to pay for her schooling, thereby allowing her to explore the world beyond her rural village · Her experiences during her education challenge her views about her native culture and way of life · She struggles to find her place in a country that is in the midst of forming its own identity (Rhodesia was granted independence in 1965) and she is struggling to define her role in society as a young woman · The female experience during the 1960’s is demonstrated prominently in the novel · This novel has a female protagonist, which may appeal to female adolescents. The novel is from the perspective of a young person and the engaging fictional narrative presents a compelling story that may appeal to students who enjoy literary work over historical text. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be studying in depth the legacy of colonialism in Africa and Tambu’s narrative highlights this through her journey to become educated
o One of the essential questions for the course is about the tools of power that individuals acquire. Tambu’s educational opportunities highlight education as a tool of power in society.
o The post-colonial transition period sets the stage for the novel and highlights some of the challenges still facing Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) and other African countries currently.
7. Nuer Dilemmas: Coping with Money, War and the State by Sharon E. Hutchenson · An anthropological study of an ethnic group, the Nuer, living in Sudan from the 1930’s until the 1990’s · 420 pages in length with several black and white images of the Nuer. · This book was written by a former Professor I had at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who had dedicated her work to various efforts in Sudan from exploring the Nuer and the evolution of their culture over time to establishing a school in southern Sudan and to a brief stint working for USAID. · The Nuer is a group that was examined by E. E. Evans Pritchard, a British anthropologist in the 1930’s and 40’s. Hutcheson revisits the Nuer experience in Sudan during the transition to independence · The tensions between colonial influence and indigenous practices are emphasized, as are the ways that the Nuer attempt to cope with this dichotomy · The chapter “Blood, Cattle and Cash” explores Nuer cultural values and ways of life. For example, one important value was procreation. If a woman was infertile she was allowed to become a “social man,” collect cattle (an integral part of their culture) and marry a woman who could have children for her (p. 61). · This is a college level text and is challenging. The text can be modified in order to make it more accessible. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will learn about the rich cultures that exist in different African countries to combat the deficit model that is popularly used to portray African countries. This will also allow students to recognize the nuances that exist within countries, and villages and the continent at large.
o Students will have an understanding of the role of women in various cultures and examine how colonialism westernized women in Africa, often times stripping them of their importance in society.
o Students will also be examining the impact of colonialism on African countries and the Nuer in Sudan present a case study through which this can be examined.
8. The Choices Program, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University-Unit on Colonialism in the Congo: Conquest, Conflict, and Commerce · Part of World History Curriculum, which focuses on King Leopold’s Congo-Free State and the conditions of the country under colonial rule · All of the units set up “choices” that governments had when crafting policy and how they went about choosing the course of action that was decided upon · There are three sections of the unit, pre-colonial Congo and European imperialism, impact of King Leopold and his oppressive policies and finally a debate about the choices that Britain had in its involvement in Congo and the legacy of colonial rule there · A combination of primary and secondary sources supplement the activities in the curriculum · The materials provided in the Watson curriculum are varied, from text to images and maps. The text is sometimes difficult and lengthy, but can be easily truncated depending upon the lesson and the students’ needs. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will explore how an individual acquires power and looking at colonial rule is a good example of individuals wielding tools of power, like money, and resources.
o Students will look at the legacy of colonialism in Africa and the Congo is a good example of the lasting impact of event that took place over a century ago.
o The Choices curriculum presents history in ways that allow dilemmas of the past to resurface and be debated in the classroom. In this case, the British debated over what policies should be adopted when it came to the Congo and the oppressive rule of King Leopold.
9. The Library of Congress (2005) Country Studies. Retrieved December 6, 2008 on the website: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/csquery.html · The website will find a number of articles and texts on any given country that you enter · Texts on military history, maps, statistics, the climate, penal codes, political history, current challenges of nationalism, regional relations and culture can be reached through this website · Timelines are also available chronicling every major event that has occurred even before the official formation of nation-states · The website is good for a variety of learners because they can pick and choose the sources they look at for any given country. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be writing research papers on the colonial legacy in African countries. They will be responsible for choosing a country and this website provides many relevant materials and is organized by country.
10. Central Oregon Community College (2005) Cora Atagucci. Retrieved December 3, 2008 on the website: http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/timelines/htimeline3.htm · Interactive timeline with links that outline the history of the African continent · There are several parts to the timeline, this is from the 15th- early 19th century and at the bottom of the page is a link to Part IV on Anti-Colonialism and Reconstruction 19th-mid 20th century · Social, political and economic history are included in the timeline · Links to other websites on African history and cutlure are included on the timeline · The timeline could be confusing to students who prefer to focus on one text or source at a time. The timeline is packed with links and summaries. Explicit directions on use of the timeline would be needed in order to prevent students from being overwhelmed. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to have an understanding of the context of imperialism and that there were thriving societies before the Europeans colonized African countries. The timeline covers pre-colonial Africa reminding students of the indigenous cultural complexities of the country, since they should have covered African empires in World History I.
o A “scavenger hunt” could also be created and this website could be one of the sources used to find out information about the basics of imperialism in Africa
11. King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa by Adam Hochschild · This historical account of King Leopold’s reign in the Congo highlights the
atrocities committed against Congolese by Leopold and those who worked in collaboration with him are brought to light · The efforts of the African rebels who fought against Leopold’s oppressive policies are also emphasized · 400 pages in length · Engaging text that includes photographs that will appeal to visual learners. Many historical figures are named in the text and background knowledge is needed in order to understand them in context. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students should understand why European powers, like Belgium, enacted certain policies against African countries
o Students will examine who the decision-makers are in a society and what gives them the power to do so. This text allows students to explore the traditional power-brokers in society, represented by Leopold as well as non-conformists, who banded together to oppose Leopold
o Students will be able to explore the concept of value in society through this snapshot of history in the Congo
12. International Relations: Understanding the Behavior of Nations, a Close Up Foundation Publication · Concise, but comprehensive resource explaining international relations terminology and concepts and applying them to current day and historical situations · 100 pages in length · The book is organized into four chapters: The Behavior of Nations, How US Foreign Policy is Made, The Cold War and Beyond, and World Issues Today · A glossary of commonly used terminology related to international relations are found in the back of the book · A resources list is located in the back of the book for more information, organized by chapter · The section on the tools of foreign policy gives an accessible overview of important moves countries make when engaging in the geopolitical sphere · The book appeals to all learner because it breaks down complicated terms and also explores issues in depth as well. It is organized in a way that is student friendly, with images, and topics that highlight historical events and current issues. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to explain what national interests are as they relate to England and its economic and ideological purposes behind colonizing Africa and Asia. This text provides a foundation for understanding some of the terminology, like national interest, that will be revisited throughout the course, particularly during the World Wars
13. Oswego City School District Regents Exam Center. (2003) Thomas Caswell Retrieved on December 1, 2008 on the website: http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/imperialism/index.cfm · Brief overview of key points to know about the Age of Imperialism in broad terms · Side bar allows you to visit numerous regions around the globe that were impacted by European Colonialism · Basic, and easily navigable website · Key terminology related to the Age of imperialism is defined, such as cultural diffusion, nationalism, raw materials, social Darwinism and colonialism · A chart of the causes of imperialism, with clear connections to the Industrial Revolution and short-term results are included · The website is accessible to all learners because it bolds all the important terms making it navigable. It also allows you to click on certain terms to get even more information. The website would be even better if it had an audio version. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to be able to define many of the terms on the website in order to create a greater context for imperialism
o The fact that students can see all of the areas impacted by imperialism illuminates the balance of power that existed in the late 1800’s early 1900’s.
o Students need to understand the connection connections between Industrial Revolution and imperialism, which is highlighted on the website
14. Africa: A Voyage of Discovery (1984) Basil Davidson · A series of documentaries each lasting 57 minutes · The most relevant subsection would be on the Rise of Nationalism. This section also covers the Congo, and Rhodesia, which would be touched upon in other parts of the unit as well. · The documentary shows footage from Africa, and is narrated by Davidson. Occasionally dramatic reconstructions are shown as well. · Historical facts, archeological evidence and first hand accounts are included. · The film touches on issues still plaguing countries in Africa today, such as political instability, violence, and economic inequity · Students need background knowledge on Africa to understand the film. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will understand the impact of colonialism on Africans way of life and the footage from the film will reveal some of the oppressive policies enacted.
15. Discourse on Colonialism by Aime Cesaire, translated by Joan Pinkham · Written originally in 1955 in response to colonial oppression · Cesaire was inspired by activists involved in the liberation movements in Africa and his book inspired civil rights leaders in the US · 94 pages in length · Non-fiction literary piece that provides a powerful look at the anti-colonial struggle, and analyzes the psyche of the colonizer. · An interview with Cesaire is at the end of the book to discuss the origins of his ideology and the autobiographical elements featured in Discourse on Colonialism · The book is geared toward a college level student, but can be accessible with background information on colonialism in Africa. It provides an in depth look at the anti-colonial movement and empowered Africans. · How it ties to the curriculum
o Connects well to the course essential question; who are the decision-makers in society and how do individuals wield tools of power?
o Looks at the way in which literature impacts liberation movements
o Explores the idea of compliance, which will be covered in the unit on the World Wars
o Provides good quotations that could be used for Do Nows/Take-a-stands- § “Europe is literally the creation of the Third World.” (p. 9, Fanon) § “no one colonizes innocently, that no one colonizes with impunity either; that a nation which colonizes, that a civilization which justifies colonization…is already a sick civilization” (p. 39). Sources Primarily for Teachers:
16. Reading, Writing and Rising Up by Linda Christensen · This source is full of writing activities that have social justice undertones and aim to emphasize the power of language through writing · 182 pages long · There are explanations of lessons as well as examples of student work to make the activities and their purposes transparent to the reader · The “read-around” is a collaborative activity that the whole class participates in. Its purposes are to share student work and learn from the literary devices that others use to enhance their pieces. The activity also calls for students to write feedback on slips of paper and deliver them to students at the end of the session. Students are therefore helping others improve their craft and are learning how to improve their own simultaneously. · The common pitfalls of certain activities are also mentioned and suggestions for how to get around them are offered as well. For instance, depending on the dynamics of a classroom some will be reluctant to share their feedback, so as a teacher you can offer extra credit to coax individuals to share. Also if students do not want to read their work out loud the teacher can offer to anonymously read it for the student. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be honing their writing skills and working on a year-long research paper on turning points in history. I want to emphasize collaboration in the classroom and the importance of the revision process. The “read-aloud” is a great technique to try in between drafts.
17. Whitewashing the Past (2008) Bob Peterson in Rethinking Schools Volume 23, No1. · This article reiterates much of what we have read about concerning the limitations of the textbooks that are still being used and introduced into classrooms of students of all ages across the nation. · This particular article however, encourages citizens, particularly educators to get involved in the efforts to change texts. History should no longer be oversimplified and only represent those who had governmental, and economic authority. · As we embark upon our teaching experiences it is important for us to engage in the teaching we believe in within the classroom. But as Mr. Peterson calls for, we must also support our values outside of the classroom by participating in the movement for higher quality textbooks, which contain fair accounts of the past.
18. The New School. Gonçalo L. Fonseca The History of Economic Thought. Retrieved on December 3, 2008 on the website: http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/ · Extremely comprehensive website on major economic theorists/theories · Descriptions of the theories are provided and organized by schools of thought, making the site easy to navigate · An alphabetical index is also provided as another means to sift through the material on the site · Primary source texts are provided on different theories · The website could be used for students, however I found it to be useful as a person who is not well versed in economic theory and needed to build a foundation. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to understand capitalism, communism and socialism.
o Students also need to be familiar with certain economic theorists such as Adam Smith
o Economic theory is a weakness of mine. This website is an invaluable resource in explaining the basic tenets of the theories.
19. World History Patterns of Interaction Rand McNally · This textbook provides background information on all of the topics covered in the Curriculum Calendar and Unit Plan · The glossary at the back of the text is also useful for defining important terminology · I do not intend to use textbooks in the classroom very often if at all, but for broadening my own knowledge on the plethora of topics we are required to teach, the textbook is a good resource to have · How its ties to the curriculum:
o As a new teacher who is unfamiliar with many of the topics that must be taught the textbook provides clear synopses of events and people from around the globe
o Students should become historical thinkers in the classroom by engaging in critical thinking and document analysis. At the back of the textbook there are strategies for understanding and using historical tools such as perspective, making inferences, analysis of documents and images, and forming opinions Sources for Other Units: Unit Title: The World Wars Unit Essential Question:
World War II Museum- Natick, MA · Private collection of World War II artifacts, manuscripts, propaganda posters, letters, etc. · There are over 6,000 artifacts on display. · The museum is organized chronologically and geographically · To visit the museum a trip must be scheduled since it is a small space and not open to the public without an appointment · There are letters of ordinary citizens on display as well as letters from Hitler, Roosevelt, Churchill, Eisenhower, Patton, Montgomery, Stalin, Rommel, Mussolini, Joseph Mengele and Adolf Eichmann, Raoul Wallenberg and Anne Frank's family. · The artifacts found in the museum have been on display in other locations such as the National Archives; West Point; Museum of Our National Heritage; Grolier Club, the Newseum, Washington; the Supreme Court of the United States; the National D-Day Museum, New Orleans; all of the Presidential Libraries; and many other institutions. · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be learning about Hitler and the Rise of Nazism. Propaganda played an enormous role in his push to power and the museum has a collection of propaganda leaflets, posters and banners.
o Students will focus on the role of youth during the rise of Nazism. The museum has a collection of posters, toys, uniforms and books that illuminate the ways in which Hitler appeal to the youth during the 1930’s.
American Speeches: Political Oratory from Abraham Lincoln to Bill Clinton edited by Ted Widmer · Speeches from a variety from American leaders and activists (the other volume is from the Revolution to the Civil War) · Speeches are organized chronologically · Biographical notes are provided at the end of the book providing concise descriptions of the orators featured in the book · Thought the book is on American speeches, some of the content of the speeches aligns with content standards and with some of the skill based standards in the curriculum and is therefore still relevant and useful · How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be examining how individual used tools of power. Speeches were one tool for mobilizing the public and students will analyze how they were written in order to be effective.
o FDR’s speech addressing Congress about Pearl Harbor and war on Japan in 1941 highlights a turning point in World War II. This speech also will be analyzed for its effectiveness and the content can be examined for the way in which it shaped the scope of the war (p. 447).
o The ethical nature of the bombing campaigns will also be covered in the curriculum. President Truman’s Statement on the Atomic Bomb in 1945 could be used as a primary source to investigate this dilemma (p. 454-457).
The Middle East (500-1500 CE)
[Emily Block]
Annotated Resource Library
Course: World History I
Essential Questions: Describe the worldviews of early Jews, Christians, and Moslems. How are they similar and different? Why does understanding different people’s world view matter? ; Why and how did Islam spread? ; How does studying the geography, religions, and history of the Middle East better enable us to understand and analyze current events? ; What is the impact of large-scale stereotypes?
Topics Covered: geography of the Middle East; the history and major beliefs of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; the spread of Islam; cultural and scientific advancements in the Islamic Empire; current events in the Middle East
Duration: 22 day unit with 80 minute class periods
Grade: 9
S = student resource T = teacher resource
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Background Sources
The following sources provide an overview of the topics covered in this course
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Downey, Matthew T. Contemporary’s World History: Annotated Teacher’s Edition.
Chicago: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2006
• Textbook, roughly 470 pages long – easy to read – S & T
• Takes readers on a very comprehensive walk through world history, from prehistoric times to our current decade.
• Very clearly written and provides brief descriptions and major takeaways for each topic. Chapters emphasize political history, however there is an ample amount of social history and geography as well.
• Because it is a teacher’s edition, there are text boxes in the margins that offer suggestions for teaching the material and additional information about the content.
• Chapter 9 (“The Beginnings of Islam”) provides an excellent, comprehensive narration of Muhammad’s life, the basic beliefs of Islam, and the early spread of the Islamic Empire (11 pages of text that includes useful pictures, maps, and charts).
• Good for all students, but particularly those with lower reading levels
Recommendations for Use: I highly recommend giving students a copy of Chapter 9 of this textbook. Not only is it well organized and very comprehensive, but the author uses simple vocabulary which makes it easy to read (unlike the overly compact writing style of most textbooks). The readable nature of this text lends itself well to teaching reading and note-taking skills. I plan on having students read sections from this chapter and take Cornell notes.
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Beck, Roger B. et al. World History: Patterns of Interaction. USA: McDougal Littell,
2007.
• World history textbook, roughly 1200 pages (heavy) – S & T
• Provides a more detailed overview of historical events than Matthew Downey’s book. Relevant chapters include: Chapter 3 section 4, “The Origins of Judaism”; Chapter 6, “Ancient Rome and Early Christianity”; and Chapter 10 “The Muslim World.”
• Organized both chronologically and by region. • In addition to including both political and social history, this textbook offers many good maps and illustrations.
Recommendations for Use: I recommend that teachers use this source to gain background knowledge about course content, but use it sparingly with students. It is a large textbook (1200 pages) and very heavy; it would be difficult for students to carry it back and forth between school and home. It would be beneficial, however, to point students’ attention to the colorful maps and charts, along with some of the special “social history” pages.
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“World Civilizations: An Internet Classroom and Anthology” from Washington State University, www.wsu.edu/~dee/WORLD.HTM
• Website – T
• This website is an excellent resource for teachers to gain background knowledge on the Middle East (and world history in general).
• The three sections I used for this unit are: “The Hebrews,” “A New Atlas of the Universe: Early Christianity,” and “Islam as Belief: The Qu’ran”
• For each chapter there is online text covering a range of topics, in addition to links for further resources and primary documents
Recommendations for Use: This website is incredibly useful for teachers who want to gain more background knowledge on a certain subject. Although I alluded to the chapters on the Middle East, I use this site for all of the units in my world history I class. I listed this site as a teacher resource and not for students only because the language is a little dense and the website is not as easy to navigate as the other websites I list. Nevertheless, there is a lot of detailed information on this site, as well as links for primary documents and other resources. I recommend teachers take a look at this website and skim through the sections they feel weak in to fill in the holes in terms of background knowledge.
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The Encyclopedia of World History. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.
• CD-ROM – for PCs – T
• This CD-ROM provides useful background information on the Middle East and North Africa from 500-1500 CE. It includes two main chapters:
o “The Rise and Expansion of Islam, 610-945” which includes:
• Overview
• Muhammad and the rise of Islam
• The Umayyad Caliphate
• The Abbasid Caliphate and its breakup
o “The Muslim Middle East and North Africa 945 – 1500 CE”
• Overview
• Iran, Iraq, and Anatolia
• The Mongol Empire and its successors
• The Ottoman Empire
• Egypt ad Syria
• North Africa
• Other features include a compilation of useful maps (specifically one of the Muslim Empire from 632 – 750) and a detailed search engine that allows you to search any date or person
Recommendations for Use: This is another great resource for teachers to gain background information on a subject before planning a lesson. Key words and phrases are bolded in the text, which makes it easy to skim and locate information you need. Also, the search engine is incredibly useful and contains a very complete list of people from that time period. All in all, this is a very useful resource for teachers to have on hand, and you can download it onto your computer which makes it extremely accessible.
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Visual Resources
The following sources are wonderful for all students, but especially accommodate the needs of visual learners
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“The Rise of Islam: World History from 500-1700 from World History Program.” Palo
Alto: Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, 1997.
• This resource is available in the Teacher Resource Center of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. It consists of: S
• Middle Eastern images (roughly 60 transparencies): The images include maps, pictures of landscape, pictures of art and architecture, important buildings, and people (photographs of modern Middle Easterners and drawings of people from Muhammad’s time period).
• Middle Eastern music (a CD with 13 minutes worth of music): The music is primarily instrumental with some vocals (in Arabic).
• The transparences are beneficial to visual learners especially, but help all learners visualize a part of the world that most have never been to.
Recommendations for Use: I think showing the class the transparencies would be useful at the beginning of a unit to introduce students to the climate/geography of the Middle East, as well as some aspects of culture (dress, art, architecture, etc.). A teacher could also pull out one or two slides that are specific to a certain topic emphasized later in the unit. The CD is interesting to listen to, however I would probably not focus part of a lesson around it. I think it would provide good background music if students are doing independent work to create a more “cultural atmosphere.”
• Website – provides detailed background information on a range of topics related to the Middle East – S & T
• The major topics covered include: religion, culture, geography, gender roles, science and technology, and economics.
• In addition to organized, easy to read text, this website also has images of the region, interactive maps, and timelines. This resource is incredibly useful for both teachers and students.
• See accompanying “Map Exploration Activity”
Recommendations for Use: For teachers, this website is a good way to further their background content knowledge on the Middle East. I recommend this site because it is organized thematically and discusses modern Middle East in addition to the past. Furthermore, this website talks about gender roles more in depth than the textbooks I have listed. This resource can be useful for students in several ways. First, it offers different types of maps (socio-political, topographical, historical political borders, and Muslim population) that are quite useful during a geography lesson (see my attached “map exploration activity”). Second, students could go to a computer lab and complete a scavenger hunt worksheet based on the information on the website; the website is very well organized and thus conducive to this type of activity. Third, if teachers are assigning a research paper/project on the Middle East this website would be an excellent resource for students to begin their research. Because the website contains many images, visual learners would benefit from its use. Also, kinesthetic learners would perhaps be more engaged by a website because they are responsible for clicking on different links and finding information themselves.
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Video: “Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet.” Kikim Media and Unity Productions
Foundation, 2002.
• Video – roughly two hours long – available in CRLS Teacher Resource Center - S
• Provides a detailed account of the life of Mohammad, the beliefs of Islam, and the profound presence Islam has in today’s world.
• I recommend beginning with chapter two of the DVD (although the first chapter is interesting, because it discusses how Islam is a large presence among Americans). There are several reasons I believe the second chapter of this movie is effective:
o It is narrated by historians/professors in a very clear, organized, and engaging manner
o The video shows many beautiful images of Saudi Arabian landscapes as well as artwork from the time period
o The narration provides a context for the birth of Islam (it describes the lack of religion in the region before Muhammad and the tribal nature of its people)
o The video’s depiction of Mohammad’s life humanizes him by describing his doubts and fears about his revelations.
• This video is beneficial to both auditory and visual learners; there are many good images to accompany the narration, and there are several different narrators so a single voice does not dominate the whole movie.
Recommendations for Use: This video is both rich in content material and is very engaging; I highly recommend it. In my unit I use it as my primary way of teaching students about the life of Muhammad – I will show about an hour of it and have students answer questions as they watch. You could also show smaller clips, however I think the movie is directed in a way that shorter segments might be less effective than a longer viewing.
• Website – includes written information (accessible to most 7-12th graders), maps, timelines, photos, and videos – website is well organized and easy to navigate – S & T
• Offers detailed information about the life of Jesus and early Christianity. The website is divided into 5 main categories:
o Jesus’ many faces
o A portrait of Jesus’ world
o The story of the storytellers
o The first Christians
o Why did Christianity succeed?
• One thing I like about this website is that it is always being updated and talks about how historians have changed their minds about much of what was originally thought about the early Christian church. I think this is valuable to students of history to see because it shows them that new evidence is always surfacing and historians constantly reevaluate what they know. It shows that what we know about the past is not set in stone.
• The website also includes a 4 hour documentary entitled “From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians.”
o Hour 1: Looks at how Jesus’ life was shaped by Judaism and the Roman Empire
o Hour 2: Examines the years directly following Jesus’ crucifixion and traces Jesus’ early followers
o Hour 3: Explores the writing of the Gospels and the early Christian groups
o Hour 4: Examines how the Christian movement branched off from Judaism and became its own religion
• This website is excellent for visual and kinesthetic learners
Recommendations for Use: This website could be used for a variety of purposes. Teachers could show students select segments of the video, which include interesting images from the time period and narration by a range of historians and professors. Because the website is so easy to navigate, teachers could also create a web-quest and let students explore the website themselves. I recommend teachers spend time on this website before teaching Christianity – there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from a variety of sources and experts.
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Additional Content Resources
Hammoudi, Abdellah. A Season in Mecca: Narrative of a Pilgrimage. New York:
Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, LLC, 2006.
_
• Non-fiction novel – small book, 287 pages – some difficult vocabulary and sophisticated level of thinking make it geared towards high level readers, although you can find sections within it that use more basic language (especially passages with dialogue). - S
• This book is a personal account of a Moslem’s experience on the hajj. It is fascinating to read because the author – a Moroccan anthropology professor at Princeton – wanted to experience the hajj as a devout Muslim, but also to observe it as an anthropologist.
• I like this book for several reasons:
o The author recounts the entire process of the hajj – including all of the preparation and politics that is involved before the actual pilgrimage itself
o The author makes a lot of observations about the interactions between pilgrims on the hajj and highlights a core tension between people coming together as Muslims, and people bringing with them the conflicts that exist between ethnic groups, Sunni/Shia, etc.
o The author uses a lot of detail in his writing and shares his spiritual thoughts throughout the pilgrimage; the reader feels as though (s)he is on the hajj with him
• Good resource for teaching about Islam, the Hajj, rituals/rites of passage, and understanding perspective
Recommendations for Use: Although this book is incredibly rich and offers countless insights on the hajj, I recommend only using select passages to complement a larger lesson on the pilgrimage. In my unit on the Middle East I assign students excerpts from this book as homework and ask them to answer questions as they read. (I recommend teachers read this book for a greater understanding of the political complexities of the hajj).
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Foster, Leila Merrell. Iraq. New York: Children’s Press, 2006
• Book – 128 pages –basic reading level - S
• This book provides a brief but comprehensive history of Iraq up through Saddam Hussein
• Also includes many pictures of present-day Iraq and its people
• See accompanying reading questions
Recommendations for Use: I plan on assigning a section of this book to my students (pp. 61-76) and providing questions for them to answer. I am using this source to give my students a basic history of Iraq before discussing contemporary issues. The passage I selected describes Baghdad in the 8th century when it was a vibrant, intellectual city. The chapter goes on to describe the waves of invasion that swept through Iraq until it gained its independence in 1932. I hope that reading about this history will give students some perspective on the reign of Saddam Hussein – it is not an accident that the Iraqi people were drawn to a strong, militant-like leader.
• Podcast – 7 minutes 26 seconds
• This podcast shares the story of a young Moslem woman (Islmail) who experienced persecution after the attacks on 9/11. Offended by the incorrect assumptions many Americans made about Moslems, she decided to inform others about Islam. In her story she talks about how it felt to be judged according to a stereotype, and the difference educating others about her religion has made for her.
• Good for auditory learners and short enough that those who are not auditory learners won’t completely zone out (ideally)
• I like this story because it highlights the individual agency of a high school aged woman taking an active stand countering Muslim stereotypes
Recommendations for Use: This short clip would be a good way to kick off a discussion about stereotypes. I recommend playing the podcast to the class and having students do a think, pair, share afterwards about people’s actions towards Moslems post- 9/11, how it made Ismail feel, and specific ways she dealt with being judged. A teacher might also want students to write a reflecting in their journals after listening to this podcast.
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Primary Documents
The following resources provide primary documents that correspond to this unit
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Witt, et al. The Humanities Vol. 1 Fourth Edition. D.C. Heath and Co., 1993
• Book – roughly 300 pages – paperback – S
• The majority of the book focuses on the western hemisphere, however Chapter 8 is entitled “Judaism and Early Christianity” and provides an organized synopsis of key figures in Judaism and aspects of the early church.
• The book is especially useful for primary documents. Chapter 8 includes:
o Readings from the Old Testament (creation, the sacrifice of Isaac, the Ten Commandments, a psalm, etc.)
o Readings from the New Testament (Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and Paul’s letter to the Ephesians).
Recommendations for Use: Although this book does provide some content information, it is mostly useful for the primary documents. There are a number of ways teachers could design a lesson around the documents from Chapter 8. First, they could teach students the skills involved in analyzing a primary document. Second, they could assess students’ ability to read for understanding (there are comprehensions questions at the end of each passage). Third, students could use the texts to chart similarities and differences between Judaic and Christian beliefs.
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“Electronic Library of Primary Sources.” World History Patterns of Interaction. CD-ROM.
McDougal Littell, 2007.
• CD-ROM – for PCs and Macs – T & S
• This CD is useful for primary documents - they are good for readers of all levels because they are not too long and use fairly basic language
• Documents include:
o Ibn Battuta “Pilgrimage to Mecca” – 1350s
o Al-Jahiz “Men and Women” – 800s
o Excerpt from the Qur’an – 650
o Bertrandon de La Brocquiere and Sultan Bayezid II “Descriptions of the Turks and the Christians” 1453 and 1500
o Critobulos of Imbros from “The Fall of Constantinople” – 1453
o Father Simon from “Report on Persia, Persians, and ‘Abbas I’” – 1604
• Each document is prefaced by a short introduction that offers background information on the author and the text
Recommendation for Use: The primary documents in this CD-ROM could be used as a tool for teachers to teach students the skill of interpreting and analyzing primary resources. They also could be used to offer different perspectives on content material (specifically Ibn Battuta’s pilgrimage). Because the documents are usually no more than 2-3 pages, they are a good length for homework assignments and can be supplemented by reading comprehension questions.
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Teacher Tools / Skills Resources
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“Power Presentations.” World History Patterns of Interactions. CD-ROM. McDougal Littell, 2007
• CD-ROM – for PCs and Macs – T & S
• This CD accompanies the World History Patterns textbook and offers several useful resources for students and teachers
• On this CD there are ready-made PowerPoint presentations (with graphics) that take you through Chapter 10: “The Muslim World, 600-1250” and Chapter 18 “The Muslim World Expands, 1300-1700.” What is especially useful about this feature is that it allows teachers to edit the slide shows how they see fit; you can use their slides as a foundation and delete/add information to tailor the presentation to your classroom needs.
• The CD also provides many good graphics: pictures, maps, charts, and timelines. These are great for visual learners and can be accessed separately from the slideshow portion of the disc. Some of these graphics are interactive as well.
• Finally, the CD has a “review quiz” and “practice test” for each chapter. Because the information is based off the textbook, these resources may or may not fit your lesson.
Recommendations for Use: This CD-ROM is probably most useful as a lecture aid. Whether you want to use their slideshows as a starting point and tailor them to your lesson, or use the graphics as an accessory to your lecture, this resource is handy for days where you have a lot of content material to get through. In addition, if your classroom has a student computer, the review quiz and practice test could be something students who finish work early could do to occupy their time.
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Christensen, Linda. Reading, Writing, and Rising Up: Teaching About Social Justice
and the Power of the Written Word. Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools, Ltd., 2000.
• Book – paperback – roughly 200 pages - T
• Emphasis on teaching students the power of writing.
o Christensen writes in the introduction, “I discovered that my students were more engaged in learning when we stopped reading novels as ends in themselves and started reading and examining society” (vii).
• The book offers many strategies for teachers who want students to examine text on a deeper level and use their own writing as a tool for expression and liberation
Recommended Use: I plan on using an activity in chapter one of the book, entitled “The Read-Around: Raising Writers” on pages 14-17. Read-arounds are a way for students to learn about writing techniques from each other. Students sit in a circle and take turns reading aloud a sample of their writing. Classmates listen and take notes on elements that worked well in the writing. This activity allows students to hear a wide range of writing styles and encourages them to implement new techniques into their own writing. This activity benefits both weak writers and strong writers: struggling writers are able to listen and gain new ideas about writing techniques and strong writers are able to get feedback for their work. Ideally the activity will foster a safe community where students feel comfortable about writing and sharing their work. In my world history class, I plan on using this activity after students each write a perspective paragraph about what life was like as an early Jew.
World History I Name: _
Miss Block
Map Exploration Activity!
How can maps help us to think about history?
Goals: The purpose of this activity is to expose you to different types of maps and to strengthen your map-reading skills. A good historian is able to not only understand the information conveyed by a map, but also to analyze that information and apply it to a broader context. By the end of this activity you should be able to:
Describe different kinds of maps and their uses
Read maps for many types of information, including cultural and geographic diversity
Use map information to predict the challenges of building and maintaining empires in the Middle East
√ Modern Socio-Political maps present information about
o social features (religion, ethnicity, language) within
o each country's borders (political boundaries)
√ Historical-Political Borders give information about
o how the political (country or empire) borders have
o changed over time (different historical periods)
√ Topographic/Resources provide information about
o topography (land features, such as mountains and deserts) and
o resources (valuable natural elements, such as oil, water, or timber)
√ Muslim Population
o Population maps show the distribution of different groups in a particular area.
o They may focus on religious groups, language groups, or other kinds of groups--here, it emphasizes religions.
Directions
Read the questions below and follow the instructions for each step. Each member of your team will be responsible for submitting a full set of answers at the end of this research.
Part 1: Topographic Resources
1. Look at the “Physical Features” map. Where do you see mountains? How might mountains affect the spread of goods, ideas, or people?
2. Do all areas of the Middle East have access to fresh water (rivers, lakes--water for drinking)? Are there areas or countries that seem to have very little or no fresh water?
3. Look at the “Oil/Gas Deposits” map. Which regions or countries seem to have a lot of oil or gas resources? Why could that be important?
4. Which resources in the Middle East today (water, land, oil, others you can think of) might be especially valuable? What makes you say that?
5. If you were a ruler trying to create one, centralized empire, what challenges or advantages would you find in the geography of the Middle East?
Part 2: Modern Sociopolitical maps
Explore at least five countries on the map by clicking on them. On the right side of the map, you can find out about the ethnic groups, religions, and languages in each modern country. Although these are modern maps, they can help us to think about longer historical trends, too.
1. Which maps have you explored? (List them.)
2. Which country has the most ethnic diversity? What are some of the ethnic groups?
3. Which country has the most language diversity? What languages are spoken?
4. Which countries have the least religious diversity? What religion(s) are biggest?
5. Overall, is there one factor that seems to unite the Middle East (language, religion, or ethnicity) more than others?
6. If you wanted to rule a large empire, what are some possible advantages and disadvantages of diverse populations? What challenges might you find in uniting the Middle East under one empire?
Part 3: Historical Political Borders
Look at the maps in the following order: 1600, 1880, 1920, 2002. Read the information about each map on the right-hand side of the screen.
1. In 1600, which empires or groups controlled the most land?
2. Which country’s or empire’s borders change the most over time?
3. Which country’s or empire’s borders are the most consistent (stay the same) over time?
4. Do you think it has been difficult to maintain political control over this region? What makes you say that?
Part 4: Bringing it Together—Discussion Questions
Write down your own ideas, then share your thoughts with your team.
1. Why is controlling resources important? What kinds of resources would be most important in the Middle East—in ancient times, and today?
2. What challenges would rulers have in building empires in the Middle East? How might they overcome those challenges? What would they need to do to control people and bring them together?
3. What new questions do you have about the Middle East (historically or currently), based on this exploration of maps?
For more information about each of these questions, explore the Global Connections website, particularly the background information on “Natural Resources” under “Connecting Questions.” Read the overview article, “Geography: An Ancient and Modern Crossroads” for background information about the geography of the Middle East.
“Iraq” by Leila Foster
Reading Questions
Describe Baghdad under al-Mansur’s reign. Is this a place you would have liked to live? Why or why not? (pp. 59-60).
Between the years 1258 and 1930, three major groups/nations were in control of Iraq. Name each of these groups and describe two characteristics of their reign. (pp. 61-63).
Group 1:
Characteristic 1: _
Characteristic 2: _
Group 2:
Characteristic 1: _
Characteristic 2: _
Group 3:
Characteristic 1: _
Characteristic 2: _
What tensions existed among Iraqis when Iraq first became independent? What is one source of that tension? (p. 64).
What three international organizations did Iraq become part of in 1945? What were the goals or aims of these organizations at that time? (p. 65)
1. _
2. _
3. _
What happened in 1958? (p. 66)
Describe Saddam Hussein’s early reign. What did he want for Iraq and how did he see himself as a leader?
Now that you know more about Iraq’s early history, do you think Saddam Hussein’s leadership might have been appealing to Iraqis? Why or why not?
[Contributed by Cris Martin}
Annotated Resource Library Understanding the American and Soviet Experience in WWII
Understanding the American and Soviet Experience in WWII
[Cris] Essential Question: Who Won WWII? Length: 2 weeks Grade: 9th-12th Student population: Varied Guiding Massachusetts Frameworks: World History II: The Great Wars (WHII.20—WHII.28) and US History II: World War II, 1941-1945 (USII.14—USII.17). The resources listed in this annotated resource library all pertain to a unit devoted to understanding the American and Soviet experience in WWII. This unit was not built around a text book, but rather on a variety of sources comprising various mediums, including non-fiction texts, interactive websites, and films. Because American history textbooks provide good coverage of the American experience in the war and there are so many units and lesson plans online devoted to this perspective, I have chosen to include only resources related to the Soviet experience in WWII in the annotated resource library that follows. Every print resource listed below can be borrowed, for free, from the Outreach Program resource library at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.
Details: This detailed website features a variety of exhibits, several of which deal with WWII. Although the exhibits do not deal with the Soviet experience in particular, the general information provided might be helpful in orienting material regarding the war, specifically its detailed information on the Holocaust.
Content: The site contains two useful timelines, one which deals with the war in the Pacific (this can be found under the World War II heading) and one that deals with the war in Europe (which can be found under the Nazi Germany/World War II heading). The timelines are interactive, and contain links to photos and primary course documents. The most relevant information on the site is a brief write up of the Battle of Stalingrad, which is listed under the link for the Top Ten Battles of All Time (see number 4).
Usability: The site is very easy to use and navigate, making it appropriate for most high school students. The advertisements on the page can be distracting, but none are inappropriate. The brief write-up of the Battle at Stalingrad could be used as an in-class or an at-home reading.
Details: Multi, multi-paged website that contains hundreds of brief video clips regarding WWII.
Content: There are too many videos on this site to detail! Some of the content includes individual biographies of the major figures involved in the war (Hitler, Stalin, Churchill, Tojo, etc.), videos regarding individual battles (Stalingrad, Midway, Pearl Harbor, Kursk, Berlin), summary videos that talk about how the war was won in the Pacific and in Europe, and videos about the development and deployment of the atomic bomb. Every video contains news footage from the war and many include voices of leaders and others who played a part in the war.
Usability: The website is slightly difficult to navigate, especially if you start at the front page. Your best bet is selecting history from the tool bar that runs across the top and locating the link for World War II. Once inside you can search for videos by keyword. These videos could be used in class or for homework (if your students have access to computers in and out of school). In order to best make use of the site, it is advised that teachers seek out certain videos to highlight to their students.
Details: Interactive website with multimedia map of the war. Exploring every feature of the multimedia would likely take 5 or more hours.
Content: Pobediteli (which means victors in Russian) is a fantastic, interactive tool for teaching students about the Soviet experience in WWII. The site itself functions as a virtual memorial to the Soviet citizens who fought in the war (you can track a veteran of the war through the site, much as you can at the WWII memorial in Washington, DC) although it also contains a multimedia map that is quite remarkable. This multimedia feature traces the war sequentially from start to finish via an interactive map that provides photographs, primary source documents, music and in-depth videos that are really instructive. The site also provides first-person commentary from individuals who fought in and lived through the war. The map itself is particularly interesting as it shows how the front, the actual line that demarcated the progress of the Germans in their march towards Moscow, shifted over time as the Soviets began to win battles and march toward Berlin.
Usability: Although the site is very easy to use, teachers are advised to play with it before using it in the classroom or instructing students to use it on their own. The site will be most effective if teachers highlight which portions they would like to focus on, as there is a lot of information available. Could be very useful in an online scavenger hunt or DBQ.
Details: This website is an online collection of primary source materials covering the Soviet period from the Revolution in 1917 to the fall of Communism in 1991. Most pages contain primary and secondary text sources, videos, audio clips (including songs), images, maps, and related websites.
Content: A great number of the moments chronicled relate to WWII, specifically: ·Soviet Territorial Annexations (1939)—this page details the Soviet annexation of Poland, which was a result of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. The related materials on this page are particularly strong, including the text of the Secret Protocol and the actual Nazi-Soviet Pact, information on the war with Finland, and videos showing Molotov’s arrival in Germany and Estonia’s inclusion in the USSR. ·Cult of Leadership (1943)—this page compares Stalin and his growing power to that of Ivan the Terrible; it has a short clip from Sergei Eisenstein’s masterpiece, Ivan the Terrible, and a sound recording of Molotov’s announcement to the Soviet people regarding the German invasion in 1941. ·Deportation of Minorities (1943)—this page describes the forced migration of over one million ethnic minorities—including Chechen, Tatars, Volga Germans, Ingush, and Koreans—from their homelands to Eastern and Southern USSR. The accompanying documents include the text of Order 5859ss, which specifically called for the deportation of the Tatars, and a report on the progress of the deportations from Beria, then head of the Secret Police. ·Holocaust (1943)—this page provides insight into the Holocaust as it was experienced by Soviet Jews living in the occupied territories in Belarus and Poland. The related materials include a link to Yevtushenko’s moving poem, Babi Yar, as well as footage from a concentration camp near Talinn, Estonia. ·900 Days (1943)—this page details the 900 day Siege of Leningrad, where over 2 million Soviet citizens lost their lives. The related materials include diaries kept by those who lived in the besieged city, related text which describes how the artifacts in Leningrad’s Hermitage survived the siege and three photo essays. ·Stalingrad (1943)—this page details the turning point in the war, the Battle for Stalingrad. The associated materials include a video regarding street-fighting in Stalingrad as well as two photo essays about life in the city under siege. ·The Battle of Kursk (1943)—this page details the magnificent tank battle at Kursk and features a two-minute clip detailing the battle, with footage and commentary (with English subtitles). ·Epaulettes Back on Uniforms (1943)—this page details the Soviet Union’s attempts to rebuild the morale of the military, particularly after the crushing early military defeats they suffered at the hands of the Nazis in 1941 and 1942. The additional information on the page pertains mostly to Marshal Georgii Zhukov, the leader of the Red Army during the war. ·The New National Anthem (1943)—this page details the history of the Soviet national anthem, the lyrics for which were rewritten during the war. The additional materials provide students with the opportunity to hear the various incarnations of the anthem. ·The Strange Alliance (1943)—this page provides a great deal of information on the war-time alliance between the “Big Three”—Great Britain, the US, and the USSR. The additional materials include the text of the Twenty-Year Mutual Assistance Agreement, the Lend-Lease Agreement, and the Yalta Agreement, three great primary source documents. ·Love and Romance in the War (1943)—this page details the heightened romanticism of the war and the consequences this had on marriage, births and the role of women in the USSR. Related materials include links to a website about female Soviet fighter pilots, and primary source documents regarding the legal reasons for divorce, benefits for illegitimate children and government aid to mothers and children. ·Veterans Return (1947)—this page tells of the sad fate that awaited many of the 8.5 million Soviet soldiers who returned from battle in the late 1940s. Many had no place to live, no family to return to, and no opportunity for employment. The additional materials include a short photo essay and art/propaganda posters announcing the return of Soviet soldiers.
Usability: Although this is a great site with a wide variety of resource, the variety itself can make it overwhelming to use. There is an option for teachers to build their own syllabus, and this personalized tool may make the site more manageable for some educators. The creators of the site intend for it to be used in a wide variety of classrooms and grades, and although most students would not have trouble navigating the site, the writing on some of the pages may be a challenge for students below grade 11. Finally, the materials they present are great sources—many are primary sources or really intriguing secondary sources with valuable images and clips—but they are not always contextualized well and you may need to provide your students with additional information to make use of some of them. This site could be very useful in an online scavenger hunt or a DBQ. Please note, you do need to register to use this site, although registration is free.
Details: The Stalin Project, devoted to the life and legacy of Joseph Stalin, is an multi-page, interactive website that was designed by a local high school teacher, with additional help provided by the Outreach Program. The site was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Content: Although most of the content broadly refers to Stalin’s life and leadership, there is a small section on WWII (this falls under the heading, Life and Policies). Although the majority of the content is not specific to WWII, this site could prove helpful in providing additional information about Stalin’s rise to power, Soviet war preparation, and life on the home front.
Usability: This website is easy to navigate, contains a lot of interesting visuals, and the content is designed for student use, as it is easy to read. There are also lesson plans available for download for teacher use. Finally, the content of each chapter is presented at three levels—advanced (3 pages), medium (1 page), and short (2 paragraphs)—so that teachers can choose which topics to study in depth and which to present more shallowly.
Details: Ten-page website designed to celebrate the 55th anniversary of victory day. The website comes from the Russian perspective, but was designed by a non-government source, the Voice of Russia radio station.
Content: The 10 pages linked from the main page are:
What do our listeners think?: This page is really interesting, as it provides first-person narrative responses to the programming the Voice of Russia radio provided to celebrate the 55th anniversary of victory day. Many of the respondents, representing a variety of nations, comment on the essential question of the unit, namely, who won the war?
The Great Patriotic War: Year after year: This link provides a brief historical summary of each year of the war, which might be useful to distribute to students as a primer.
Pictorial art during the Great Patriotic War: This link contains several different virtual art exhibits, devoted to poster art, painting, sculpture, graphic design and war memorials, all designed during the war.
“The Voice of Russia” in the Great Patriotic War: A brief history of Voice of Russia’s activities during the war.
Chapter devoted to the Second World War: The title for this page is not accurate—the content is devoted to biographical sketches of several Russian poets and some of the poetry they wrote during the war.
Russian prose in the years of World War II: This page features several prose excerpts written during the war.
The Great Patriotic War in Photos: This page contains photos of occupied resistance in Belarus, the Siege of Leningrad, the Battle at Stalingrad, and the taking of Berlin.
The Way it Was: A chapter summarizing the war on the Eastern front.
Final results of the radio forum: Information regarding listener reaction to the radio program, 55th Anniversary of victory Day.
Usability: This site is easy to use and read, and could be accessed by most high school students. The most pertinent sections include: the What do listeners think? section, as it goes directly to answering the essential question and helps students understand the role of perspective in history; the Great Patriotic War Year by Year, as it provides readable summaries of the war should a teacher wish to provide breadth on the whole war and focus more deeply on particular issues; and the page devoted to pictorial art, as it comments on artistic culture during the war.
Content: In 1961, Russian poet, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, wrote this poem to protest the Soviet government’s refusal to acknowledge the atrocities at Babi Yar, a ravine in rural Kiev, Ukraine where 33,000 Jews were executed in 1941. The actions at Babi Yar constitute the single largest massacre of the Holocaust outside of a concentration camp.
Usability: This poem is difficult, contains religious language and imagery, and should be used among upper level students or those students who have advanced reading levels. It might be interesting to work with an English teacher on team teaching this content, so that students can study the poem both for its artistic and historical merit. A detailed analysis of the poem can be found here: http://www.cyberessays.com/English/172.htm.
Videos
f Red Empire: The Definitive Modern History of the USSR! Vestron Video. VHS. Yorkshire Television, 1990.
Resource intended for student use
Resource available through the OP library
Details: This seven-part television documentary series chronicles the history of the USSR from beginning to end. Volume Five (which runs 54 minutes) is entitled “Patriots” and deals exclusively with WWII.
Content: The series is chronicled and narrated by famed Soviet historian, Robert Conquest. It features excellent film and newsreel footage and interviews with people who fought in or lived through the war. Although not nearly as complete as the PBS series listed below, it is nine-hours shorter!
Usability: This video can easily be used with students from 9-12th grade. Some background knowledge of the subject would be helpful, as this is part five in a seven part series.
Russia’s War: Blood Upon the Snow. PBS Home Video. VHS. Turner Home Entertainment, 1997..
Resource intended for student use
Resource available through the OP library
Details: This 10-hour documentary series is an excellent record of the Soviet’s Great Patriotic War. The content is broken up into 5 parts on 5 VHS tapes, each tape tuns about 108 minutes:
The Darkness Descends
2.Between Life and Death 3.The Fight from Within 4.The Citadel 5.The Fall of the Swastika Detailed notes on the content of each chapter are available through the Outreach Program.
Content: This comprehensive video series covers the war from soup to nuts—starting in the mid-1920s with Lenin’s death and Stalin’s rise to power and closing in the late 1940s with the birth of the USSR as a superpower in post-war Europe and the growth of the cult of personality around Stalin. The series is meticulously researched and includes interesting first-person interviews and archival resources. Of particular interest:
The first 20 minutes of the fourth hour (second half tape one) provides a good overview of the terrible first days of the war.
The fourth hour of the series (second half of tape two) contains very moving and important footage regarding the Siege of Leningrad, including video of the Leningrad Symphony Orchestra, decimated in the siege, playing Shostakovich’s 7th Symhony (aka the Leningrad Symphony).
The fifth hour of the series (first half of tape three) is devoted to the partisan efforts in the occupied territories. There is a really interesting interview with Lena Mazanik, who planted a bomb under the bed of SS Officer Kube, who was killed when it exploded. Her subsequent treatment at the hands of the Stalin regime (she was arrested and questioned) is eye-opening but representative of how many Soviet citizens were treated after the war.
Usability: The biggest problem with this series is that it has too much good information, making it hard to prioritize what to use. The series can be used at nearly any grade in high school. The tone of the narration is not biased.
Books
Chiukov, Vasily and Vasily Ryabov. The Great Patriotic War. Moscow: Planeta Publishers, 1985.
Resource intended for student use
Resource available through the OP library
Details:The Great Patriotic War is more a photo album than a history book. The nearly 400-page book has very little text and pages upon pages of photos depicting life on the home front and the battlefields of Soviet Russia during WWII (aka the Great Patriotic War). Most o the photos are well-captioned, providing some context to the image. The book concludes with a photographic index of the Soviet military leadership, including Generalissimo Joseph Stalin.
Content: This book is written by two Russians (one of whom was a General in the Red Army during the War and twice named Hero of the Soviet Union), and it shows in the book’s point of view. For example, each chapter begins with a quote from The History of the CPSU—during Soviet times it was quite common to begin a piece of writing with some allusion to Lenin or the party, even if they were inconsequential to the topic. Although the text is slightly propagandistic, the photos are what really shine and make the book valuable.
Usability: As mentioned above, the limited text reads like a propaganda pamphlet, which might be difficult for students to understand. However, if the material were contextualized by the teacher, students could learn a valuable lesson in identifying biased historical writing, as well as providing them with a glimpse of the culture of the USSR (even as late as the 1980s), where people were constantly aware that what they produced was going to be read critically by the government and censors. That said, there is little text, and the photos are highly accessible, although the book lacks a table of contents or an index which would make it easier to navigate.
Gitelman, Zvi, ed. Bitter Legacy: Confronting the Holocaust in the USSR. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1997.
Resource intended for teacher use
Resource available through the OP library
Details: This 320-page book is a collection of essays regarding the Holocaust as it happened in the USSR.
Content: This book provides interesting insight into the legacy of the Holocaust in the USSR. It covers a wide range of topics, including the history of anti-Semitism in the USSR both before and after the war, the persecution and execution of Jews in Soviet Poland, Ukraine, Belarus and Latvia, the role many Jewish citizens played in the partisan movement during the war, and the role non-Jewish Soviet citizens, living under Nazi occupation, played in the Holocaust. The book closes with a series of primary source documents, including Nazi directives regarding the destruction of Jews in Ukraine and an excerpt from a diary detailing how a Jewish family was rescued from the Nazis in Soviet Ukraine.
Usability: This book is likely too difficult for any high school student to tackle, as it is very academic in nature. However, it can be a good resource for teachers who are interested in knowing, and including in their curriculum, information about how the Holocaust was carried out in the occupied territories of the USSR and how many Soviet citizens collaborated with the Nazis in the destruction of the Jewish people.
Lyons, Graham, ed. The Russian Version of the Second World War: The History of the War as Taught to Soviet Schoolchildren. New York: Facts on File Publications, 1976.
Resource intended for student use
Resource available through the OP library
Details: This 138-page book provides a unique perspective on the history of WWII—the content is simply the text from several Soviet-era high school textbooks translated into English. The text comes from two different textbooks (which were both still in use into the 1990s), one that emphasizes political history and one that covers military history. They are used together to present a more concise account of what Soviet teachers taught their students about the war. Lyons also provides a summary of the Western position to contextualize the Soviet version of history.
Content: Lyons’ contends that, “If we want to know the feeling of a nation about great events in its history, the best possible sources are its school books” (p. xii). This interesting book is a study in point of view, and can help students understand more about bias and who writes history.
Usability: Because the majority of the text was initially written for school children, the book should be highly accessible to most high school students. There is a detailed table of contents at the beginning of the book, which can help teachers pick and choose what content to use.
Pleshakov, Constantine. Stalin’s Folly: The Tragic First Ten Days of WWII on the Eastern Front. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005.
Resource intended for student use
Resource available through the OP library
Details: This 275-page book deals exclusively with the first ten days of the war on the Eastern front.
Content: The topic of the book is very narrow, but the focus on Stalin’s decisions leading up to the war and during the first 10 days of the war will likely be very interesting to students as they are so counter-intuitive and had such a large impact on the start of the war in the USSR.
Usability: Although an interesting read, the book as a whole is more appropriate for use by teachers than students. That said, excerpts from the Prologue can be used for 11th and 12th grade students studying Soviet involvement in the war. Pleshakov had access to a lot of new material from Soviet archives, making his scholarship very fresh and new.
Salisbury, Harrison. The Unknown War: Russia vs. Germany in the World War II Bloodbath that Took 30,000,000 Lives. New York: Bantam Books, 1978.
Resource intended for student use
Resource available through the OP library
Details: This 219-page book is more a photo album than a history book. It was written by Harrison Salisbury, a reporter for the New York Times who was a photojournalist on the Eastern front during the final year of the war. The book, which is the written accompaniment to the documentary film series of the same name, is full of black and white photographs with accompanying text.
Content: The book covers the period from the Nazi invasion in 1941 to the dropping of the atom bomb and Japan’s acquiescence in 1945. As was mentioned above, the photos are the real stars of the book, and can help students visualize the reality of WWII. That said, the text does provide a succinct account of the war, although it is not the most engaging text.
Usability: The photos in the book are accessible to any high student, especially those who are visual learners. The text itself is not appropriate for younger students (although it is more journalistic than academic in its approach, thereby making it slightly more accessible) or students with learning disabilities or lower-level reading skills.
Simmons, Cynthia and Nina Perlina. Writing the Siege of Leningrad: Women’s Diaries, memoirs, and Documentary Prose. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2002.
Resource intended for student use
Resource available through the OP library
Details: This 211-page book details the Siege of Leningrad from a first person perspective through translated diary excerpts and documentary prose written by women who lived through the siege. The book includes 10 diary excerpts/letters, 13 memoir excerpts, and 7 examples documentary prose. No excerpt is longer than 12 pages, and most are closer to 3-4 pages in length.
Content: As mentioned above, this book provides first-person narratives from women who lived through the three-year Siege of Leningrad. The book also includes a detailed foreword and preface which provide some historical context for the excerpts, a chronology of the siege, and a glossary of terms. The diary excerpts in particular tend to be overly detailed—the documentary prose is less so, as they were recorded many years after the event and tend towards the more general.
Usability: The excerpts are very readable, although some feature vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to American students (although highly familiar to Russian students). Each excerpt begins with a brief biography of the author, which should help peak student interest and investment and help contextualize the material. The material could be used in a literature circle or jigsaw.
Skipper, G.C. World at War: Battle of Stalingrad. Chicago: The Children’s Press, 1981.
Resource intended for student use
Resource available through the OP library
Details: This 45-page book is intended to be used by younger students, starting at grade 6. It includes many black and white photographs and maps, as well as copy of a proclamation, signed by Roosevelt, commending the Soviet soldiers for their bravery at Stalingrad, calling Stalingrad the turning point in the Allied victory.
Content: This book recounts the main details of the Battle at Stalingrad, argued by many (including Roosevelt, see above) to be the turning point for the Allies in WWII. The author tries to make the content as dramatic as possible by including a large number of photos, statistics regarding troop numbers, and even manufactured dialogue for Hitler.
Usability: The book is highly readable, fairly short, and could easily be used in the classroom or by a student interested in doing a project on Stalingrad. Although the text would be simplistic for many high school students, it may be appropriate for students at lower reading levels or by English-language learners.
Stein, Conrad. World at War: Siege of Leningrad. Chicago: The Children’s Press, 1983.
Resource intended for student use
Resource available through the OP library
Details: This 45-page book is intended to be used by younger students, starting at grade 6. It includes many black and white photographs and maps.
Content: This book recounts the main details of the three-year Siege of Leningrad, a terrible episode that impacted Soviet soldiers and civilians. The author tries to make the content as dramatic as possible by including a large number of photos, statistics regarding food rations, and first-person accounts from Soviet leaders.
Usability: The book is highly readable, fairly short, and could easily be used in the classroom or by a student interested in doing a project on the Siege. Although the text would be simplistic for many high school students, it may be appropriate for students at lower reading levels or by English-language learners.
Details: One of the seminal works regarding the Soviet experience in WWII, Werth’s 1,136-page book is the ultimate reference guide for teachers interested in adding material regarding the Soviet experience to their WWII unit. Although very detailed, this is a very interesting book for people who enjoy history, particularly military history.
Content: This book covers a period ranging from 1939 and the signing of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact through the end of the war and the beginning of the Cold War. There are several interesting maps included, all of which relate to battles and troop movements. There are also several charts and tables, specifically regarding statistics of war-time production and casualties. There is also a timeline of the war at the end of the book.
Usability: This book is not intended for student use—the writing is fairly complicated and so detailed that it would not be a good choice to use in the classroom, even in excerpts. Although the book is quite long, it has a very thorough table of contents and index to help direct the reader to specific content.
*Attachments: Worksheets that accompany materials from the ARL 1) This worksheet will be used in a literature circle/jigsaw using the book, Writing the Siege of Leningrad, by Cynthia Simmons and Nina Perlina.
Literature Circle/Jigsaw: The Siege of Leningrad
Homework Directions: Read the excerpt you have been assigned from Writing the Siege:
Write down all of the details you think are important from your reading. You will need to teach some of your classmates what you learned about the Siege from this text, so feel free to use this section for notes you can use in class.
_ In-class Directions: Teach the other students in your group about the reading you had for homework. Together, answer the following questions:
What do you see as common themes amongst the five readings?
What do these themes tell you about what it was like, as a society, to live in the war zone that was Leningrad (St. Petersburg) during the siege?
_ 2) This worksheet is part of a homework assignment that accompanies an excerpt from the Prologue to Stalin’s Folly by Constantine Pleshakov.
Reflection Worksheet: Prologue from Stalin’s Folly
Directions: Please answer the following questions after reading the prologue from, Stalin’s Folly: The Tragic First Ten Days of WWII on the Eastern Front, by Constantine Pleshakov. 1)Point of View: Does the title of the book, Stalin’s Folly, give you any insight as to the author’s potential point of view? 2)Vocabulary: You may encounter words within this chapter that are unfamiliar to you. Please list three such words and their definitions below: A. B. C. 3)Statistics: This chapter conveys a lot of information through statistics. Please provide three examples of statistics you found interesting or important and explain why. A. B. C. 4) Questions: I hope that the prologue to this book left you with questions about what happens next—please list two questions below that you hope you will be answered in our further study of the Soviet experience in WWII. A. B.
World History
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Table of Contents
Industrialization and Imperialism
[Contributed by Alicia Rosenberg]Course: World History II Honors
Grade: 10th
Length: three weeks
Course Essential Questions:
Who are the decision-makers in society?
What tools of power have individuals wielded and how did they acquire them?
How can empowered individuals from the past empower youth today?
Unit Essential Question:
How is technology a tool of power?
How and why did individuals protest against government policy during the Industrial Revolution and the Age of Imperialism?
Where does responsibility lie for the policies enacted during the Industrial Revolution and the Age of Imperialism?
How do individuals in African and Asian countries reconcile the legacy of the colonizers with their own cultural and historical heritage?
1. Life and Debt a documentary by Stephanie Black
· The film highlights Jamaica and the economic conditions plaguing the country as a result of European and American influences
· Run time for the film is 86 minutes
· The role of the IMF and World Bank are an integral part of the film. The short-term high interest loans granted to Jamaica and the free market, both pushed by external agendas, ultimately hurt the Jamaican economy and reduced the impact of their local industries.
· The perspective of the locals are conveyed as well as the perspective of the European middle/upper class
· Some of the segments of the film cover Kingston Free Zones, which were factories that were not bound by Jamaican labor laws because they operated as separate entities under regulations set out by American Corporations. Also the potato market in Jamaica is covered where the local industry is damaged because of free markets causing cheap imports to be purchased over locally grown crops
· This appeals to visual learners and the imagery effectively will connect most students to the material. The film is particularly intriguing for students who have traveled to Jamaica. The concepts around the IMF and World Bank are complicated so the teacher should have a solid understanding of how those bodies function before showing the film.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to have an understanding of capitalism and how the free market functions.
o Students need to understand how imperialistic policies created a wider gap between the rich and poor and how that results in political and social instability. Jamaica is a good case study for this and the social instability in the country is also shown
o Understanding the motivation behind particular policy development and adoption can be grappled with through this film
o The film connects imperialism to current day society, making learning relevant to present day issues, specifically the idea of America as an imperialist nation
2. The Age of Revolution 1789-1848 by Eric Hobsawm.
· 356 page non-fiction book is organized by various topics.
· Hobsawn’s account of Europe during 1789-1848 is useful for a background knowledge on the Industrial Revolution and the creation of a greater historical context for the time period
· Several maps are included that show Europe in 1789, 1810, 1840 and a map on the spread of French law throughout Europe, which would be helpful in the classroom to provide regional context
· The book is useful for teachers more so than students as it is rather dense and lengthy. It may be good for students who want more information about the topic and are already well versed in the French Revolution.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be learning about the causes and effects of the French Revolution and its ties to the Enlightenment. This resource will prepare teachers to understand this connection between French and British history.
3. Mount Holyoke College History Department, The Industrial Revolution and the Railway System (1999) Retrieved December 5, 2008 from Professor Robert Schwartz’s website: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/ind_rev/index.html
· Website dedicated to the Industrial Revolution in England
· Images from the Industrial Revolution are posted, including protests, factories, and urban sprawl
· A variety of maps are posted including one of the railway lines in England, some depicting population growth and the location of mineral resources
· Primary source texts are included that show differing perspectives on the Industrial Revolution. Six different English citizens including Charles Dickens’ negative view of the changes, and Sir Richard Phillips resounding praise of the transportation upgrades are included.
· The materials on the website investigate how the Industrial Revolution impacted society in general and how it impacted the individual citizen.
· The materials on the website appeal to a wide-range of learners since material is presented in a variety of modalities and the text is on the shorter side.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will learn about the varying perspectives on the Industrial Revolution. The primary accounts listed under opposing views provide for some of those perspectives.
o Students will understand the role of technology during the Industrial Revolution and the maps on the railroad will emphasize the impact that transportation related technology had on society.
4. The Human Record: Sources of Global History Volume II Since 1500 by Andrea Overfield
· A book of primary sources covering global history from the 1500 to the present
· 493 pages in length
· Topics range from the decline of the Ming dynasty in China to Apartheid in South Africa
· The book is divided into parts and chapters, which are organized by region and era
· Includes primary sources such as speeches, World Bank statistics, drawings, letters, memos, reports, and paintings
· The book begins with a prologue about source analysis and why it’s important to understanding history
· Chapters begin with a summary creating historical context for the texts and images presented
· Sources are preceded with “questions for analysis,” which provide the reader with different avenues to explore the text or image.
· There are many texts that require more in-depth background knowledge and some texts that are more accessible. The text caters to a wide-range of learners, however, depending on the skill level of the class some texts could be modified or read as a whole class.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o In exploring the working conditions of the Industrial Revolution there is testimony given before Parliament in England that reveals the oppressive climate that children lived in daily (pg. 270- 274).
o Students will learn about the impact of capitalism on England and learn about other economic philosophies including socialism, and communism. The Communist Manifesto can shed light on communism and how it differs from capitalism.
o Gandhi’s vision for India is included in his writings on “Indian Home Rule.”
5. A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa by Howard W. French
· Howard French is a journalist best known for his work done in the New York Times
· 258 pages of text divided into chapters chronicling his firsthand account on the African continent
· French’s journey takes the reader through the Congo, Liberia, Nigeria and Mali
· French provides historical context alongside his personal narrative
· French also attempts to dispel historical inaccuracies about explorers such as Henry Morton Stanley, who has been praised for his expeditions, but engaged in heinous acts against Congolese
· The chapter on the Congo will be given as homework to highlight the colonial legacy that has continued to impact African society, political life and the economy
· The text also provides snap shots of the rich indigenous cultures that exist in the four nation-states that French visits
· The text is accessible to learners because of the narrative style, however background information about the history of the countries featured in the book is needed.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will engage in research projects that delve into colonial legacy, this text will provide a foundation for understanding the long-term impacts of colonization.
6. Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
· A coming of age novel based in Rhodesia (currently Zimbabwe) in the 1960’s
· 256 pages in length
· The protagonist, Tambu, is a young girl who’s Uncle offers to pay for her schooling, thereby allowing her to explore the world beyond her rural village
· Her experiences during her education challenge her views about her native culture and way of life
· She struggles to find her place in a country that is in the midst of forming its own identity (Rhodesia was granted independence in 1965) and she is struggling to define her role in society as a young woman
· The female experience during the 1960’s is demonstrated prominently in the novel
· This novel has a female protagonist, which may appeal to female adolescents. The novel is from the perspective of a young person and the engaging fictional narrative presents a compelling story that may appeal to students who enjoy literary work over historical text.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be studying in depth the legacy of colonialism in Africa and Tambu’s narrative highlights this through her journey to become educated
o One of the essential questions for the course is about the tools of power that individuals acquire. Tambu’s educational opportunities highlight education as a tool of power in society.
o The post-colonial transition period sets the stage for the novel and highlights some of the challenges still facing Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) and other African countries currently.
7. Nuer Dilemmas: Coping with Money, War and the State by Sharon E. Hutchenson
· An anthropological study of an ethnic group, the Nuer, living in Sudan from the 1930’s until the 1990’s
· 420 pages in length with several black and white images of the Nuer.
· This book was written by a former Professor I had at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who had dedicated her work to various efforts in Sudan from exploring the Nuer and the evolution of their culture over time to establishing a school in southern Sudan and to a brief stint working for USAID.
· The Nuer is a group that was examined by E. E. Evans Pritchard, a British anthropologist in the 1930’s and 40’s. Hutcheson revisits the Nuer experience in Sudan during the transition to independence
· The tensions between colonial influence and indigenous practices are emphasized, as are the ways that the Nuer attempt to cope with this dichotomy
· The chapter “Blood, Cattle and Cash” explores Nuer cultural values and ways of life. For example, one important value was procreation. If a woman was infertile she was allowed to become a “social man,” collect cattle (an integral part of their culture) and marry a woman who could have children for her (p. 61).
· This is a college level text and is challenging. The text can be modified in order to make it more accessible.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will learn about the rich cultures that exist in different African countries to combat the deficit model that is popularly used to portray African countries. This will also allow students to recognize the nuances that exist within countries, and villages and the continent at large.
o Students will have an understanding of the role of women in various cultures and examine how colonialism westernized women in Africa, often times stripping them of their importance in society.
o Students will also be examining the impact of colonialism on African countries and the Nuer in Sudan present a case study through which this can be examined.
8. The Choices Program, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University-Unit on Colonialism in the Congo: Conquest, Conflict, and Commerce
· Part of World History Curriculum, which focuses on King Leopold’s Congo-Free State and the conditions of the country under colonial rule
· All of the units set up “choices” that governments had when crafting policy and how they went about choosing the course of action that was decided upon
· There are three sections of the unit, pre-colonial Congo and European imperialism, impact of King Leopold and his oppressive policies and finally a debate about the choices that Britain had in its involvement in Congo and the legacy of colonial rule there
· A combination of primary and secondary sources supplement the activities in the curriculum
· The materials provided in the Watson curriculum are varied, from text to images and maps. The text is sometimes difficult and lengthy, but can be easily truncated depending upon the lesson and the students’ needs.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will explore how an individual acquires power and looking at colonial rule is a good example of individuals wielding tools of power, like money, and resources.
o Students will look at the legacy of colonialism in Africa and the Congo is a good example of the lasting impact of event that took place over a century ago.
o The Choices curriculum presents history in ways that allow dilemmas of the past to resurface and be debated in the classroom. In this case, the British debated over what policies should be adopted when it came to the Congo and the oppressive rule of King Leopold.
9. The Library of Congress (2005) Country Studies. Retrieved December 6, 2008 on the website: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/csquery.html
· The website will find a number of articles and texts on any given country that you enter
· Texts on military history, maps, statistics, the climate, penal codes, political history, current challenges of nationalism, regional relations and culture can be reached through this website
· Timelines are also available chronicling every major event that has occurred even before the official formation of nation-states
· The website is good for a variety of learners because they can pick and choose the sources they look at for any given country.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be writing research papers on the colonial legacy in African countries. They will be responsible for choosing a country and this website provides many relevant materials and is organized by country.
10. Central Oregon Community College (2005) Cora Atagucci. Retrieved December 3, 2008 on the website: http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/timelines/htimeline3.htm
· Interactive timeline with links that outline the history of the African continent
· There are several parts to the timeline, this is from the 15th- early 19th century and at the bottom of the page is a link to Part IV on Anti-Colonialism and Reconstruction 19th-mid 20th century
· Social, political and economic history are included in the timeline
· Links to other websites on African history and cutlure are included on the timeline
· The timeline could be confusing to students who prefer to focus on one text or source at a time. The timeline is packed with links and summaries. Explicit directions on use of the timeline would be needed in order to prevent students from being overwhelmed.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to have an understanding of the context of imperialism and that there were thriving societies before the Europeans colonized African countries. The timeline covers pre-colonial Africa reminding students of the indigenous cultural complexities of the country, since they should have covered African empires in World History I.
o A “scavenger hunt” could also be created and this website could be one of the sources used to find out information about the basics of imperialism in Africa
11. King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa by Adam Hochschild
· This historical account of King Leopold’s reign in the Congo highlights the
atrocities committed against Congolese by Leopold and those who worked in collaboration with him are brought to light
· The efforts of the African rebels who fought against Leopold’s oppressive policies are also emphasized
· 400 pages in length
· Engaging text that includes photographs that will appeal to visual learners. Many historical figures are named in the text and background knowledge is needed in order to understand them in context.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students should understand why European powers, like Belgium, enacted certain policies against African countries
o Students will examine who the decision-makers are in a society and what gives them the power to do so. This text allows students to explore the traditional power-brokers in society, represented by Leopold as well as non-conformists, who banded together to oppose Leopold
o Students will be able to explore the concept of value in society through this snapshot of history in the Congo
12. International Relations: Understanding the Behavior of Nations, a Close Up Foundation Publication
· Concise, but comprehensive resource explaining international relations terminology and concepts and applying them to current day and historical situations
· 100 pages in length
· The book is organized into four chapters: The Behavior of Nations, How US Foreign Policy is Made, The Cold War and Beyond, and World Issues Today
· A glossary of commonly used terminology related to international relations are found in the back of the book
· A resources list is located in the back of the book for more information, organized by chapter
· The section on the tools of foreign policy gives an accessible overview of important moves countries make when engaging in the geopolitical sphere
· The book appeals to all learner because it breaks down complicated terms and also explores issues in depth as well. It is organized in a way that is student friendly, with images, and topics that highlight historical events and current issues.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to explain what national interests are as they relate to England and its economic and ideological purposes behind colonizing Africa and Asia. This text provides a foundation for understanding some of the terminology, like national interest, that will be revisited throughout the course, particularly during the World Wars
13. Oswego City School District Regents Exam Center. (2003) Thomas Caswell Retrieved on December 1, 2008 on the website:
http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/imperialism/index.cfm
· Brief overview of key points to know about the Age of Imperialism in broad terms
· Side bar allows you to visit numerous regions around the globe that were impacted by European Colonialism
· Basic, and easily navigable website
· Key terminology related to the Age of imperialism is defined, such as cultural diffusion, nationalism, raw materials, social Darwinism and colonialism
· A chart of the causes of imperialism, with clear connections to the Industrial Revolution and short-term results are included
· The website is accessible to all learners because it bolds all the important terms making it navigable. It also allows you to click on certain terms to get even more information. The website would be even better if it had an audio version.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to be able to define many of the terms on the website in order to create a greater context for imperialism
o The fact that students can see all of the areas impacted by imperialism illuminates the balance of power that existed in the late 1800’s early 1900’s.
o Students need to understand the connection connections between Industrial Revolution and imperialism, which is highlighted on the website
14. Africa: A Voyage of Discovery (1984) Basil Davidson
· A series of documentaries each lasting 57 minutes
· The most relevant subsection would be on the Rise of Nationalism. This section also covers the Congo, and Rhodesia, which would be touched upon in other parts of the unit as well.
· The documentary shows footage from Africa, and is narrated by Davidson. Occasionally dramatic reconstructions are shown as well.
· Historical facts, archeological evidence and first hand accounts are included.
· The film touches on issues still plaguing countries in Africa today, such as political instability, violence, and economic inequity
· Students need background knowledge on Africa to understand the film.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will understand the impact of colonialism on Africans way of life and the footage from the film will reveal some of the oppressive policies enacted.
15. Discourse on Colonialism by Aime Cesaire, translated by Joan Pinkham
· Written originally in 1955 in response to colonial oppression
· Cesaire was inspired by activists involved in the liberation movements in Africa and his book inspired civil rights leaders in the US
· 94 pages in length
· Non-fiction literary piece that provides a powerful look at the anti-colonial struggle, and analyzes the psyche of the colonizer.
· An interview with Cesaire is at the end of the book to discuss the origins of his ideology and the autobiographical elements featured in Discourse on Colonialism
· The book is geared toward a college level student, but can be accessible with background information on colonialism in Africa. It provides an in depth look at the anti-colonial movement and empowered Africans.
· How it ties to the curriculum
o Connects well to the course essential question; who are the decision-makers in society and how do individuals wield tools of power?
o Looks at the way in which literature impacts liberation movements
o Explores the idea of compliance, which will be covered in the unit on the World Wars
o Provides good quotations that could be used for Do Nows/Take-a-stands-
§ “Europe is literally the creation of the Third World.” (p. 9, Fanon)
§ “no one colonizes innocently, that no one colonizes with impunity either; that a nation which colonizes, that a civilization which justifies colonization…is already a sick civilization” (p. 39).
Sources Primarily for Teachers:
16. Reading, Writing and Rising Up by Linda Christensen
· This source is full of writing activities that have social justice undertones and aim to emphasize the power of language through writing
· 182 pages long
· There are explanations of lessons as well as examples of student work to make the activities and their purposes transparent to the reader
· The “read-around” is a collaborative activity that the whole class participates in. Its purposes are to share student work and learn from the literary devices that others use to enhance their pieces. The activity also calls for students to write feedback on slips of paper and deliver them to students at the end of the session. Students are therefore helping others improve their craft and are learning how to improve their own simultaneously.
· The common pitfalls of certain activities are also mentioned and suggestions for how to get around them are offered as well. For instance, depending on the dynamics of a classroom some will be reluctant to share their feedback, so as a teacher you can offer extra credit to coax individuals to share. Also if students do not want to read their work out loud the teacher can offer to anonymously read it for the student.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be honing their writing skills and working on a year-long research paper on turning points in history. I want to emphasize collaboration in the classroom and the importance of the revision process. The “read-aloud” is a great technique to try in between drafts.
17. Whitewashing the Past (2008) Bob Peterson in Rethinking Schools Volume 23, No1.
· This article reiterates much of what we have read about concerning the limitations of the textbooks that are still being used and introduced into classrooms of students of all ages across the nation.
· This particular article however, encourages citizens, particularly educators to get involved in the efforts to change texts. History should no longer be oversimplified and only represent those who had governmental, and economic authority.
· As we embark upon our teaching experiences it is important for us to engage in the teaching we believe in within the classroom. But as Mr. Peterson calls for, we must also support our values outside of the classroom by participating in the movement for higher quality textbooks, which contain fair accounts of the past.
18. The New School. Gonçalo L. Fonseca The History of Economic Thought. Retrieved on December 3, 2008 on the website: http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/
· Extremely comprehensive website on major economic theorists/theories
· Descriptions of the theories are provided and organized by schools of thought, making the site easy to navigate
· An alphabetical index is also provided as another means to sift through the material on the site
· Primary source texts are provided on different theories
· The website could be used for students, however I found it to be useful as a person who is not well versed in economic theory and needed to build a foundation.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students need to understand capitalism, communism and socialism.
o Students also need to be familiar with certain economic theorists such as Adam Smith
o Economic theory is a weakness of mine. This website is an invaluable resource in explaining the basic tenets of the theories.
19. World History Patterns of Interaction Rand McNally
· This textbook provides background information on all of the topics covered in the Curriculum Calendar and Unit Plan
· The glossary at the back of the text is also useful for defining important terminology
· I do not intend to use textbooks in the classroom very often if at all, but for broadening my own knowledge on the plethora of topics we are required to teach, the textbook is a good resource to have
· How its ties to the curriculum:
o As a new teacher who is unfamiliar with many of the topics that must be taught the textbook provides clear synopses of events and people from around the globe
o Students should become historical thinkers in the classroom by engaging in critical thinking and document analysis. At the back of the textbook there are strategies for understanding and using historical tools such as perspective, making inferences, analysis of documents and images, and forming opinions
Sources for Other Units:
Unit Title: The World Wars
Unit Essential Question:
World War II Museum- Natick, MA
· Private collection of World War II artifacts, manuscripts, propaganda posters, letters, etc.
· There are over 6,000 artifacts on display.
· The museum is organized chronologically and geographically
· To visit the museum a trip must be scheduled since it is a small space and not open to the public without an appointment
· There are letters of ordinary citizens on display as well as letters from Hitler, Roosevelt, Churchill, Eisenhower, Patton, Montgomery, Stalin, Rommel, Mussolini, Joseph Mengele and Adolf Eichmann, Raoul Wallenberg and Anne Frank's family.
· The artifacts found in the museum have been on display in other locations such as the National Archives; West Point; Museum of Our National Heritage; Grolier Club, the Newseum, Washington; the Supreme Court of the United States; the National D-Day Museum, New Orleans; all of the Presidential Libraries; and many other institutions.
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be learning about Hitler and the Rise of Nazism. Propaganda played an enormous role in his push to power and the museum has a collection of propaganda leaflets, posters and banners.
o Students will focus on the role of youth during the rise of Nazism. The museum has a collection of posters, toys, uniforms and books that illuminate the ways in which Hitler appeal to the youth during the 1930’s.
American Speeches: Political Oratory from Abraham Lincoln to Bill Clinton edited by Ted Widmer
· Speeches from a variety from American leaders and activists (the other volume is from the Revolution to the Civil War)
· Speeches are organized chronologically
· Biographical notes are provided at the end of the book providing concise descriptions of the orators featured in the book
· Thought the book is on American speeches, some of the content of the speeches aligns with content standards and with some of the skill based standards in the curriculum and is therefore still relevant and useful
· How it ties to the curriculum:
o Students will be examining how individual used tools of power. Speeches were one tool for mobilizing the public and students will analyze how they were written in order to be effective.
o FDR’s speech addressing Congress about Pearl Harbor and war on Japan in 1941 highlights a turning point in World War II. This speech also will be analyzed for its effectiveness and the content can be examined for the way in which it shaped the scope of the war (p. 447).
o The ethical nature of the bombing campaigns will also be covered in the curriculum. President Truman’s Statement on the Atomic Bomb in 1945 could be used as a primary source to investigate this dilemma (p. 454-457).
The Middle East (500-1500 CE)
[Emily Block]Annotated Resource Library
Course: World History I
Essential Questions: Describe the worldviews of early Jews, Christians, and Moslems. How are they similar and different? Why does understanding different people’s world view matter? ; Why and how did Islam spread? ; How does studying the geography, religions, and history of the Middle East better enable us to understand and analyze current events? ; What is the impact of large-scale stereotypes?
Topics Covered: geography of the Middle East; the history and major beliefs of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; the spread of Islam; cultural and scientific advancements in the Islamic Empire; current events in the Middle East
Duration: 22 day unit with 80 minute class periods
Grade: 9
S = student resource T = teacher resource
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Background Sources
The following sources provide an overview of the topics covered in this course
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Downey, Matthew T. Contemporary’s World History: Annotated Teacher’s Edition.
Chicago: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2006
• Textbook, roughly 470 pages long – easy to read – S & T
• Takes readers on a very comprehensive walk through world history, from prehistoric times to our current decade.
• Very clearly written and provides brief descriptions and major takeaways for each topic. Chapters emphasize political history, however there is an ample amount of social history and geography as well.
• Because it is a teacher’s edition, there are text boxes in the margins that offer suggestions for teaching the material and additional information about the content.
• Chapter 9 (“The Beginnings of Islam”) provides an excellent, comprehensive narration of Muhammad’s life, the basic beliefs of Islam, and the early spread of the Islamic Empire (11 pages of text that includes useful pictures, maps, and charts).
• Good for all students, but particularly those with lower reading levels
Recommendations for Use: I highly recommend giving students a copy of Chapter 9 of this textbook. Not only is it well organized and very comprehensive, but the author uses simple vocabulary which makes it easy to read (unlike the overly compact writing style of most textbooks). The readable nature of this text lends itself well to teaching reading and note-taking skills. I plan on having students read sections from this chapter and take Cornell notes.
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Beck, Roger B. et al. World History: Patterns of Interaction. USA: McDougal Littell,
2007.
• World history textbook, roughly 1200 pages (heavy) – S & T
• Provides a more detailed overview of historical events than Matthew Downey’s book. Relevant chapters include: Chapter 3 section 4, “The Origins of Judaism”; Chapter 6, “Ancient Rome and Early Christianity”; and Chapter 10 “The Muslim World.”
• Organized both chronologically and by region.
• In addition to including both political and social history, this textbook offers many good maps and illustrations.
Recommendations for Use: I recommend that teachers use this source to gain background knowledge about course content, but use it sparingly with students. It is a large textbook (1200 pages) and very heavy; it would be difficult for students to carry it back and forth between school and home. It would be beneficial, however, to point students’ attention to the colorful maps and charts, along with some of the special “social history” pages.
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“World Civilizations: An Internet Classroom and Anthology” from Washington State University, www.wsu.edu/~dee/WORLD.HTM
• Website – T
• This website is an excellent resource for teachers to gain background knowledge on the Middle East (and world history in general).
• The three sections I used for this unit are: “The Hebrews,” “A New Atlas of the Universe: Early Christianity,” and “Islam as Belief: The Qu’ran”
• For each chapter there is online text covering a range of topics, in addition to links for further resources and primary documents
Recommendations for Use: This website is incredibly useful for teachers who want to gain more background knowledge on a certain subject. Although I alluded to the chapters on the Middle East, I use this site for all of the units in my world history I class. I listed this site as a teacher resource and not for students only because the language is a little dense and the website is not as easy to navigate as the other websites I list. Nevertheless, there is a lot of detailed information on this site, as well as links for primary documents and other resources. I recommend teachers take a look at this website and skim through the sections they feel weak in to fill in the holes in terms of background knowledge.
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The Encyclopedia of World History. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.
• CD-ROM – for PCs – T
• This CD-ROM provides useful background information on the Middle East and North Africa from 500-1500 CE. It includes two main chapters:
o “The Rise and Expansion of Islam, 610-945” which includes:
• Overview
• Muhammad and the rise of Islam
• The Umayyad Caliphate
• The Abbasid Caliphate and its breakup
o “The Muslim Middle East and North Africa 945 – 1500 CE”
• Overview
• Iran, Iraq, and Anatolia
• The Mongol Empire and its successors
• The Ottoman Empire
• Egypt ad Syria
• North Africa
• Other features include a compilation of useful maps (specifically one of the Muslim Empire from 632 – 750) and a detailed search engine that allows you to search any date or person
Recommendations for Use: This is another great resource for teachers to gain background information on a subject before planning a lesson. Key words and phrases are bolded in the text, which makes it easy to skim and locate information you need. Also, the search engine is incredibly useful and contains a very complete list of people from that time period. All in all, this is a very useful resource for teachers to have on hand, and you can download it onto your computer which makes it extremely accessible.
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Visual Resources
The following sources are wonderful for all students, but especially accommodate the needs of visual learners
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“The Rise of Islam: World History from 500-1700 from World History Program.” Palo
Alto: Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, 1997.
• This resource is available in the Teacher Resource Center of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. It consists of: S
• Middle Eastern images (roughly 60 transparencies): The images include maps, pictures of landscape, pictures of art and architecture, important buildings, and people (photographs of modern Middle Easterners and drawings of people from Muhammad’s time period).
• Middle Eastern music (a CD with 13 minutes worth of music): The music is primarily instrumental with some vocals (in Arabic).
• The transparences are beneficial to visual learners especially, but help all learners visualize a part of the world that most have never been to.
Recommendations for Use: I think showing the class the transparencies would be useful at the beginning of a unit to introduce students to the climate/geography of the Middle East, as well as some aspects of culture (dress, art, architecture, etc.). A teacher could also pull out one or two slides that are specific to a certain topic emphasized later in the unit. The CD is interesting to listen to, however I would probably not focus part of a lesson around it. I think it would provide good background music if students are doing independent work to create a more “cultural atmosphere.”
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Global Connections: The Middle East. WGBH Educational Foundation, 2002:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/index.html
• Website – provides detailed background information on a range of topics related to the Middle East – S & T
• The major topics covered include: religion, culture, geography, gender roles, science and technology, and economics.
• In addition to organized, easy to read text, this website also has images of the region, interactive maps, and timelines. This resource is incredibly useful for both teachers and students.
• See accompanying “Map Exploration Activity”
Recommendations for Use: For teachers, this website is a good way to further their background content knowledge on the Middle East. I recommend this site because it is organized thematically and discusses modern Middle East in addition to the past. Furthermore, this website talks about gender roles more in depth than the textbooks I have listed. This resource can be useful for students in several ways. First, it offers different types of maps (socio-political, topographical, historical political borders, and Muslim population) that are quite useful during a geography lesson (see my attached “map exploration activity”). Second, students could go to a computer lab and complete a scavenger hunt worksheet based on the information on the website; the website is very well organized and thus conducive to this type of activity. Third, if teachers are assigning a research paper/project on the Middle East this website would be an excellent resource for students to begin their research. Because the website contains many images, visual learners would benefit from its use. Also, kinesthetic learners would perhaps be more engaged by a website because they are responsible for clicking on different links and finding information themselves.
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Video: “Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet.” Kikim Media and Unity Productions
Foundation, 2002.
• Video – roughly two hours long – available in CRLS Teacher Resource Center - S
• Provides a detailed account of the life of Mohammad, the beliefs of Islam, and the profound presence Islam has in today’s world.
• I recommend beginning with chapter two of the DVD (although the first chapter is interesting, because it discusses how Islam is a large presence among Americans). There are several reasons I believe the second chapter of this movie is effective:
o It is narrated by historians/professors in a very clear, organized, and engaging manner
o The video shows many beautiful images of Saudi Arabian landscapes as well as artwork from the time period
o The narration provides a context for the birth of Islam (it describes the lack of religion in the region before Muhammad and the tribal nature of its people)
o The video’s depiction of Mohammad’s life humanizes him by describing his doubts and fears about his revelations.
• This video is beneficial to both auditory and visual learners; there are many good images to accompany the narration, and there are several different narrators so a single voice does not dominate the whole movie.
Recommendations for Use: This video is both rich in content material and is very engaging; I highly recommend it. In my unit I use it as my primary way of teaching students about the life of Muhammad – I will show about an hour of it and have students answer questions as they watch. You could also show smaller clips, however I think the movie is directed in a way that shorter segments might be less effective than a longer viewing.
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PBS Frontline “From Jesus to Christ.” WGBH educational foundation, 1995-2008 WGBH http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/
• Website – includes written information (accessible to most 7-12th graders), maps, timelines, photos, and videos – website is well organized and easy to navigate – S & T
• Offers detailed information about the life of Jesus and early Christianity. The website is divided into 5 main categories:
o Jesus’ many faces
o A portrait of Jesus’ world
o The story of the storytellers
o The first Christians
o Why did Christianity succeed?
• One thing I like about this website is that it is always being updated and talks about how historians have changed their minds about much of what was originally thought about the early Christian church. I think this is valuable to students of history to see because it shows them that new evidence is always surfacing and historians constantly reevaluate what they know. It shows that what we know about the past is not set in stone.
• The website also includes a 4 hour documentary entitled “From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians.”
o Hour 1: Looks at how Jesus’ life was shaped by Judaism and the Roman Empire
o Hour 2: Examines the years directly following Jesus’ crucifixion and traces Jesus’ early followers
o Hour 3: Explores the writing of the Gospels and the early Christian groups
o Hour 4: Examines how the Christian movement branched off from Judaism and became its own religion
• This website is excellent for visual and kinesthetic learners
Recommendations for Use: This website could be used for a variety of purposes. Teachers could show students select segments of the video, which include interesting images from the time period and narration by a range of historians and professors. Because the website is so easy to navigate, teachers could also create a web-quest and let students explore the website themselves. I recommend teachers spend time on this website before teaching Christianity – there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from a variety of sources and experts.
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Additional Content Resources
Hammoudi, Abdellah. A Season in Mecca: Narrative of a Pilgrimage. New York:
Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, LLC, 2006.
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• Non-fiction novel – small book, 287 pages – some difficult vocabulary and sophisticated level of thinking make it geared towards high level readers, although you can find sections within it that use more basic language (especially passages with dialogue). - S
• This book is a personal account of a Moslem’s experience on the hajj. It is fascinating to read because the author – a Moroccan anthropology professor at Princeton – wanted to experience the hajj as a devout Muslim, but also to observe it as an anthropologist.
• I like this book for several reasons:
o The author recounts the entire process of the hajj – including all of the preparation and politics that is involved before the actual pilgrimage itself
o The author makes a lot of observations about the interactions between pilgrims on the hajj and highlights a core tension between people coming together as Muslims, and people bringing with them the conflicts that exist between ethnic groups, Sunni/Shia, etc.
o The author uses a lot of detail in his writing and shares his spiritual thoughts throughout the pilgrimage; the reader feels as though (s)he is on the hajj with him
• Good resource for teaching about Islam, the Hajj, rituals/rites of passage, and understanding perspective
Recommendations for Use: Although this book is incredibly rich and offers countless insights on the hajj, I recommend only using select passages to complement a larger lesson on the pilgrimage. In my unit on the Middle East I assign students excerpts from this book as homework and ask them to answer questions as they read. (I recommend teachers read this book for a greater understanding of the political complexities of the hajj).
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Foster, Leila Merrell. Iraq. New York: Children’s Press, 2006
• Book – 128 pages –basic reading level - S
• This book provides a brief but comprehensive history of Iraq up through Saddam Hussein
• Also includes many pictures of present-day Iraq and its people
• See accompanying reading questions
Recommendations for Use: I plan on assigning a section of this book to my students (pp. 61-76) and providing questions for them to answer. I am using this source to give my students a basic history of Iraq before discussing contemporary issues. The passage I selected describes Baghdad in the 8th century when it was a vibrant, intellectual city. The chapter goes on to describe the waves of invasion that swept through Iraq until it gained its independence in 1932. I hope that reading about this history will give students some perspective on the reign of Saddam Hussein – it is not an accident that the Iraqi people were drawn to a strong, militant-like leader.
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Northam, Jackie. “Reaching Across the Divide: Attacks Prompt Muslim Woman to
Teach Others About Her Faith. NPR podcast: March 12, 2002 http://www.npr.org/news/specials/sixmonths/muslim.html
• Podcast – 7 minutes 26 seconds
• This podcast shares the story of a young Moslem woman (Islmail) who experienced persecution after the attacks on 9/11. Offended by the incorrect assumptions many Americans made about Moslems, she decided to inform others about Islam. In her story she talks about how it felt to be judged according to a stereotype, and the difference educating others about her religion has made for her.
• Good for auditory learners and short enough that those who are not auditory learners won’t completely zone out (ideally)
• I like this story because it highlights the individual agency of a high school aged woman taking an active stand countering Muslim stereotypes
Recommendations for Use: This short clip would be a good way to kick off a discussion about stereotypes. I recommend playing the podcast to the class and having students do a think, pair, share afterwards about people’s actions towards Moslems post- 9/11, how it made Ismail feel, and specific ways she dealt with being judged. A teacher might also want students to write a reflecting in their journals after listening to this podcast.
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Primary Documents
The following resources provide primary documents that correspond to this unit
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Witt, et al. The Humanities Vol. 1 Fourth Edition. D.C. Heath and Co., 1993
• Book – roughly 300 pages – paperback – S
• The majority of the book focuses on the western hemisphere, however Chapter 8 is entitled “Judaism and Early Christianity” and provides an organized synopsis of key figures in Judaism and aspects of the early church.
• The book is especially useful for primary documents. Chapter 8 includes:
o Readings from the Old Testament (creation, the sacrifice of Isaac, the Ten Commandments, a psalm, etc.)
o Readings from the New Testament (Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and Paul’s letter to the Ephesians).
Recommendations for Use: Although this book does provide some content information, it is mostly useful for the primary documents. There are a number of ways teachers could design a lesson around the documents from Chapter 8. First, they could teach students the skills involved in analyzing a primary document. Second, they could assess students’ ability to read for understanding (there are comprehensions questions at the end of each passage). Third, students could use the texts to chart similarities and differences between Judaic and Christian beliefs.
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“Electronic Library of Primary Sources.” World History Patterns of Interaction. CD-ROM.
McDougal Littell, 2007.
• CD-ROM – for PCs and Macs – T & S
• This CD is useful for primary documents - they are good for readers of all levels because they are not too long and use fairly basic language
• Documents include:
o Ibn Battuta “Pilgrimage to Mecca” – 1350s
o Al-Jahiz “Men and Women” – 800s
o Excerpt from the Qur’an – 650
o Bertrandon de La Brocquiere and Sultan Bayezid II “Descriptions of the Turks and the Christians” 1453 and 1500
o Critobulos of Imbros from “The Fall of Constantinople” – 1453
o Father Simon from “Report on Persia, Persians, and ‘Abbas I’” – 1604
• Each document is prefaced by a short introduction that offers background information on the author and the text
Recommendation for Use: The primary documents in this CD-ROM could be used as a tool for teachers to teach students the skill of interpreting and analyzing primary resources. They also could be used to offer different perspectives on content material (specifically Ibn Battuta’s pilgrimage). Because the documents are usually no more than 2-3 pages, they are a good length for homework assignments and can be supplemented by reading comprehension questions.
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Teacher Tools / Skills Resources
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“Power Presentations.” World History Patterns of Interactions. CD-ROM. McDougal Littell, 2007
• CD-ROM – for PCs and Macs – T & S
• This CD accompanies the World History Patterns textbook and offers several useful resources for students and teachers
• On this CD there are ready-made PowerPoint presentations (with graphics) that take you through Chapter 10: “The Muslim World, 600-1250” and Chapter 18 “The Muslim World Expands, 1300-1700.” What is especially useful about this feature is that it allows teachers to edit the slide shows how they see fit; you can use their slides as a foundation and delete/add information to tailor the presentation to your classroom needs.
• The CD also provides many good graphics: pictures, maps, charts, and timelines. These are great for visual learners and can be accessed separately from the slideshow portion of the disc. Some of these graphics are interactive as well.
• Finally, the CD has a “review quiz” and “practice test” for each chapter. Because the information is based off the textbook, these resources may or may not fit your lesson.
Recommendations for Use: This CD-ROM is probably most useful as a lecture aid. Whether you want to use their slideshows as a starting point and tailor them to your lesson, or use the graphics as an accessory to your lecture, this resource is handy for days where you have a lot of content material to get through. In addition, if your classroom has a student computer, the review quiz and practice test could be something students who finish work early could do to occupy their time.
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Christensen, Linda. Reading, Writing, and Rising Up: Teaching About Social Justice
and the Power of the Written Word. Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools, Ltd., 2000.
• Book – paperback – roughly 200 pages - T
• Emphasis on teaching students the power of writing.
o Christensen writes in the introduction, “I discovered that my students were more engaged in learning when we stopped reading novels as ends in themselves and started reading and examining society” (vii).
• The book offers many strategies for teachers who want students to examine text on a deeper level and use their own writing as a tool for expression and liberation
Recommended Use: I plan on using an activity in chapter one of the book, entitled “The Read-Around: Raising Writers” on pages 14-17. Read-arounds are a way for students to learn about writing techniques from each other. Students sit in a circle and take turns reading aloud a sample of their writing. Classmates listen and take notes on elements that worked well in the writing. This activity allows students to hear a wide range of writing styles and encourages them to implement new techniques into their own writing. This activity benefits both weak writers and strong writers: struggling writers are able to listen and gain new ideas about writing techniques and strong writers are able to get feedback for their work. Ideally the activity will foster a safe community where students feel comfortable about writing and sharing their work. In my world history class, I plan on using this activity after students each write a perspective paragraph about what life was like as an early Jew.
World History I Name: _
Miss Block
Map Exploration Activity!
How can maps help us to think about history?
Goals: The purpose of this activity is to expose you to different types of maps and to strengthen your map-reading skills. A good historian is able to not only understand the information conveyed by a map, but also to analyze that information and apply it to a broader context. By the end of this activity you should be able to:
For this activity you will be using the Global Connections website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/maps/index.html
Types of Maps
√ Modern Socio-Political maps present information about
o social features (religion, ethnicity, language) within
o each country's borders (political boundaries)
√ Historical-Political Borders give information about
o how the political (country or empire) borders have
o changed over time (different historical periods)
√ Topographic/Resources provide information about
o topography (land features, such as mountains and deserts) and
o resources (valuable natural elements, such as oil, water, or timber)
√ Muslim Population
o Population maps show the distribution of different groups in a particular area.
o They may focus on religious groups, language groups, or other kinds of groups--here, it emphasizes religions.
Directions
Read the questions below and follow the instructions for each step. Each member of your team will be responsible for submitting a full set of answers at the end of this research.
Part 1: Topographic Resources
1. Look at the “Physical Features” map. Where do you see mountains? How might mountains affect the spread of goods, ideas, or people?
2. Do all areas of the Middle East have access to fresh water (rivers, lakes--water for drinking)? Are there areas or countries that seem to have very little or no fresh water?
3. Look at the “Oil/Gas Deposits” map. Which regions or countries seem to have a lot of oil or gas resources? Why could that be important?
4. Which resources in the Middle East today (water, land, oil, others you can think of) might be especially valuable? What makes you say that?
5. If you were a ruler trying to create one, centralized empire, what challenges or advantages would you find in the geography of the Middle East?
Part 2: Modern Sociopolitical maps
Explore at least five countries on the map by clicking on them. On the right side of the map, you can find out about the ethnic groups, religions, and languages in each modern country. Although these are modern maps, they can help us to think about longer historical trends, too.
1. Which maps have you explored? (List them.)
2. Which country has the most ethnic diversity? What are some of the ethnic groups?
3. Which country has the most language diversity? What languages are spoken?
4. Which countries have the least religious diversity? What religion(s) are biggest?
5. Overall, is there one factor that seems to unite the Middle East (language, religion, or ethnicity) more than others?
6. If you wanted to rule a large empire, what are some possible advantages and disadvantages of diverse populations? What challenges might you find in uniting the Middle East under one empire?
Part 3: Historical Political Borders
Look at the maps in the following order: 1600, 1880, 1920, 2002. Read the information about each map on the right-hand side of the screen.
1. In 1600, which empires or groups controlled the most land?
2. Which country’s or empire’s borders change the most over time?
3. Which country’s or empire’s borders are the most consistent (stay the same) over time?
4. Do you think it has been difficult to maintain political control over this region? What makes you say that?
Part 4: Bringing it Together—Discussion Questions
Write down your own ideas, then share your thoughts with your team.
1. Why is controlling resources important? What kinds of resources would be most important in the Middle East—in ancient times, and today?
2. What challenges would rulers have in building empires in the Middle East? How might they overcome those challenges? What would they need to do to control people and bring them together?
3. What new questions do you have about the Middle East (historically or currently), based on this exploration of maps?
For more information about each of these questions, explore the Global Connections website, particularly the background information on “Natural Resources” under “Connecting Questions.” Read the overview article, “Geography: An Ancient and Modern Crossroads” for background information about the geography of the Middle East.
“Iraq” by Leila Foster
Reading Questions
Describe Baghdad under al-Mansur’s reign. Is this a place you would have liked to live? Why or why not? (pp. 59-60).
Between the years 1258 and 1930, three major groups/nations were in control of Iraq. Name each of these groups and describe two characteristics of their reign. (pp. 61-63).
Group 1:
Characteristic 1: _
Characteristic 2: _
Group 2:
Characteristic 1: _
Characteristic 2: _
Group 3:
Characteristic 1: _
Characteristic 2: _
What tensions existed among Iraqis when Iraq first became independent? What is one source of that tension? (p. 64).
What three international organizations did Iraq become part of in 1945? What were the goals or aims of these organizations at that time? (p. 65)
1. _
2. _
3. _
What happened in 1958? (p. 66)
Describe Saddam Hussein’s early reign. What did he want for Iraq and how did he see himself as a leader?
Now that you know more about Iraq’s early history, do you think Saddam Hussein’s leadership might have been appealing to Iraqis? Why or why not?
[Contributed by Cris Martin}
Understanding the American and Soviet
Experience in WWII
Understanding the American and Soviet Experience in WWII
[Cris]Essential Question: Who Won WWII?
Length: 2 weeks
Grade: 9th-12th
Student population: Varied
Guiding Massachusetts Frameworks: World History II: The Great Wars (WHII.20—WHII.28) and US History II: World War II, 1941-1945 (USII.14—USII.17).
The resources listed in this annotated resource library all pertain to a unit devoted to understanding the American and Soviet experience in WWII. This unit was not built around a text book, but rather on a variety of sources comprising various mediums, including non-fiction texts, interactive websites, and films. Because American history textbooks provide good coverage of the American experience in the war and there are so many units and lesson plans online devoted to this perspective, I have chosen to include only resources related to the Soviet experience in WWII in the annotated resource library that follows. Every print resource listed below can be borrowed, for free, from the Outreach Program resource library at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.
· Soviet Territorial Annexations (1939)—this page details the Soviet annexation of Poland, which was a result of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. The related materials on this page are particularly strong, including the text of the Secret Protocol and the actual Nazi-Soviet Pact, information on the war with Finland, and videos showing Molotov’s arrival in Germany and Estonia’s inclusion in the USSR.
· Cult of Leadership (1943)—this page compares Stalin and his growing power to that of Ivan the Terrible; it has a short clip from Sergei Eisenstein’s masterpiece, Ivan the Terrible, and a sound recording of Molotov’s announcement to the Soviet people regarding the German invasion in 1941.
· Deportation of Minorities (1943)—this page describes the forced migration of over one million ethnic minorities—including Chechen, Tatars, Volga Germans, Ingush, and Koreans—from their homelands to Eastern and Southern USSR. The accompanying documents include the text of Order 5859ss, which specifically called for the deportation of the Tatars, and a report on the progress of the deportations from Beria, then head of the Secret Police.
· Holocaust (1943)—this page provides insight into the Holocaust as it was experienced by Soviet Jews living in the occupied territories in Belarus and Poland. The related materials include a link to Yevtushenko’s moving poem, Babi Yar, as well as footage from a concentration camp near Talinn, Estonia.
· 900 Days (1943)—this page details the 900 day Siege of Leningrad, where over 2 million Soviet citizens lost their lives. The related materials include diaries kept by those who lived in the besieged city, related text which describes how the artifacts in Leningrad’s Hermitage survived the siege and three photo essays.
· Stalingrad (1943)—this page details the turning point in the war, the Battle for Stalingrad. The associated materials include a video regarding street-fighting in Stalingrad as well as two photo essays about life in the city under siege.
· The Battle of Kursk (1943)—this page details the magnificent tank battle at Kursk and features a two-minute clip detailing the battle, with footage and commentary (with English subtitles).
· Epaulettes Back on Uniforms (1943)—this page details the Soviet Union’s attempts to rebuild the morale of the military, particularly after the crushing early military defeats they suffered at the hands of the Nazis in 1941 and 1942. The additional information on the page pertains mostly to Marshal Georgii Zhukov, the leader of the Red Army during the war.
· The New National Anthem (1943)—this page details the history of the Soviet national anthem, the lyrics for which were rewritten during the war. The additional materials provide students with the opportunity to hear the various incarnations of the anthem.
· The Strange Alliance (1943)—this page provides a great deal of information on the war-time alliance between the “Big Three”—Great Britain, the US, and the USSR. The additional materials include the text of the Twenty-Year Mutual Assistance Agreement, the Lend-Lease Agreement, and the Yalta Agreement, three great primary source documents.
· Love and Romance in the War (1943)—this page details the heightened romanticism of the war and the consequences this had on marriage, births and the role of women in the USSR. Related materials include links to a website about female Soviet fighter pilots, and primary source documents regarding the legal reasons for divorce, benefits for illegitimate children and government aid to mothers and children.
· Veterans Return (1947)—this page tells of the sad fate that awaited many of the 8.5 million Soviet soldiers who returned from battle in the late 1940s. Many had no place to live, no family to return to, and no opportunity for employment. The additional materials include a short photo essay and art/propaganda posters announcing the return of Soviet soldiers.
- The Darkness Descends
2. Between Life and Death3. The Fight from Within
4. The Citadel
5. The Fall of the Swastika
Detailed notes on the content of each chapter are available through the Outreach Program.
*Attachments: Worksheets that accompany materials from the ARL
1) This worksheet will be used in a literature circle/jigsaw using the book, Writing the Siege of Leningrad, by Cynthia Simmons and Nina Perlina.
Homework Directions: Read the excerpt you have been assigned from Writing the Siege:
- Write down all of the details you think are important from your reading. You will need to teach some of your classmates what you learned about the Siege from this text, so feel free to use this section for notes you can use in class.
_In-class Directions: Teach the other students in your group about the reading you had for homework. Together, answer the following questions:
- What do these themes tell you about what it was like, as a society, to live in the war zone that was Leningrad (St. Petersburg) during the siege?
_2) This worksheet is part of a homework assignment that accompanies an excerpt from the Prologue to Stalin’s Folly by Constantine Pleshakov.
Directions: Please answer the following questions after reading the prologue from, Stalin’s Folly: The Tragic First Ten Days of WWII on the Eastern Front, by Constantine Pleshakov.
1) Point of View: Does the title of the book, Stalin’s Folly, give you any insight as to the author’s potential point of view?
2) Vocabulary: You may encounter words within this chapter that are unfamiliar to you. Please list three such words and their definitions below:
A.
B.
C.
3) Statistics: This chapter conveys a lot of information through statistics. Please provide three examples of statistics you found interesting or important and explain why.
A.
B.
C.
4) Questions: I hope that the prologue to this book left you with questions about what happens next—please list two questions below that you hope you will be answered in our further study of the Soviet experience in WWII.
A.
B.